Fight Forever
by crystaltears24
Summary: Life for the Davenports have been busy the last few days, but it only gets busier when one of Donald Davenport's enemies comes back for revenge. The family falls apart at the seams, especially when Davenport reveals a secret that shakes the bionics to their cores. Something more sinister lurks in the shadows, but will they realize it in time before it destroys them?
1. Prologue

***Nervously peeks around a corner* Hi! This is my first fanfiction. Ever. I wanted to post this prologue just to see if people would be interested in my story. I don't even have half of the story written - okay, I think I'm close but I can't be sure. I probably won't post a new chapter in a while because I want to get most of the story finished before I post too many chapters till the point where I have no more chapters to post and I'm writing whenever I can and it's keeping my readers waiting... Yeah, I'm rambling. Sorry. Anywho, I probably shouldn't keep you waiting. I do not, under any circumstances, own anything Lab Rats. This story is purely for fun. Without further ado, Prologue of Fight Forever. **

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><p>Gasping breaths.<p>

Wheezing, painful inhale. Rasping, breathless exhale.

Dust, everywhere. In her lungs, down her throat - choking her. She coughed so hard that her chest ached. The dust was so thick, she couldn't see.

She couldn't hear past the ringing in her ears, and her hand came away bloody.

Flashes of light - blue against red - reach her through the dust. A firefight. Her team against _them_. The evil side. She knew she should be helping her team. She _knew_. But all she could do was stumble through the dust, the rubble, her mind still trying to figure out what exactly happened.

It had been a trap. _They_ had been waiting for them. She and her team couldn't deactivate the bomb in time. They had failed their original mission. But it wouldn't be in vain unless they failed to defeat _them_.

Her ringing ears pounded with her erratic heartbeat, but she could faintly hear the blasts of the fight ahead. She sensed rather than heard her name being called, and she turned around to see her older sister making her way towards her, dust so thick in her pretty, auburn hair that it was now a brownish white, but then she got tackled by two men clad in black. Agents of the enemy.

Her sister screamed in frustration, trying to fight them off. They stuck a needle in her arm, and she went limp in their grasps.

One of the agents saw the younger sister standing there with a shocked and scared expression, and spoke into his wrist communication wire. She turned, tears threatening to fall, and tried to get away, tripping over debris. A gloved hand landed on her shoulder, whipping her around. Through the dizziness that assaulted her, she reacted on pure instinct and grabbed the man's own shoulders and pulled him into her knee, jamming it into his solar plexus, winding him, then finishing him off with a violent punch to the temple. He fell to the ground, motionless.

Black spots danced before her eyes, and she walked unsteadily as she wandered around, still in a daze.

Another blast knocked her off her feet, her vision going black for a spilt second.

And then pain.

Burning, white hot _agony_ in her wrist and side.

Hot tears ran down her face, leaving wet trails on her dust-covered skin, as she cried out. Her heart raced, beating achingly in her chest. She was panicking, she could feel it, so she closed her eyes.

Blue skies. Cool breezes. Summer sunsets at the beach. Her wonderful, if not sometimes childish, twin brother.

And then suddenly, he was there, leaning over her, his hazel eyes boring into her matching set, and his mouth moved, his words muffled but his voice soothing. He took her unbroken hand in his and brought it to his lean chest.

He told her to breathe, taking deep breaths under her hand, and she somehow understood, even with temporarily deaf ears. She breathed with him, feeling his steady heartbeat through her glove.

In. Out.

In. Out. Repeat.

Her heart slowed, the pain dimmed slightly.

He helped her to her feet, and she bit her lip when the pain in her wrist and her bruised ribs spiked, but she refused to utter a sound.

Only then did she realize that the dust had settled to reveal that their comrades had been subdued, probably drugged like the twins' older sister.

The enemy surrounded them, a dozen and a half, at least.

Brother and sister stood back to back, hands up, ready to fight. Together, they felt invincible. Seconds ticked by. No one moved, no one breathed. But then _they_ made the first move.

They rushed the two like flies, a well-trained, deadly swarm.

The twins fought valiantly, desperately trying to overcome the black-clad assassins. Punch, kick, dodge. Punch, duck, roll. Kick, back flip, twist. But punch for punch, kick for kick, the two were outmatched, even if they had the better skills than the enemy's agents. One lucky hit to either of them, and that would be the end.

Her feeling of fearlessness shattered when she saw her twin fall, knocked unconscious and then drugged for extra precaution.

Her heart stopped. She couldn't breathe.

Screaming his name, she tried to run to him, but strong arms held her back, ignoring her frantic struggles and hysterical cries of protest and anguish. She tried every martial arts move she could think of to get away, but when she escaped one set of hands, another took its place in restraining her.

Finally, she resorted to the old-fashioned kicking and screaming, part of it from the pain in her wrist, and the other part due to the unfairness of the situation. Her whole team had been captured, probably to become slaves or experiments to the enemy.

They got her pinned to the floor, pieces of broken stone digging uncomfortably into her back, and an agent rolled up the sleeve on her good arm. She writhed with renewed effort, and when she frantically called his name again, her voice was becoming hoarse with the strain. She barely registered the pinch in her arm.

Fresh tears ran down her cheeks. They had failed, so utterly and completely. And it broke her heart.

Liquidly coolness entered her veins, spreading throughout her body. Her pulse slowed, her struggles weakened, her thoughts slurred.

Blackness, velvety, comforting blackness crept into her mind. Her eyelids drooped, her sobs grew faint.

She didn't fight the darkness - she welcomed it. A place to escape all that had happened, a place to just _let go_, even if it's for a little while. A place to be _free_.

But before she slipped into the oblivion, she whispered _his_ name, her twin's.

"Chase."

Her eyes closed, and she gave in to the darkness.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hi! It's me again. Oh, look! I come with a gift! Chapter One! Anyway, I'm hoping to keep to a weekly schedule, so expect updates every Saturday or Sunday. Fair warning: I consider the first few chapters a little boring, but they're just fillers. Just a quick question: Has anyone ever smelled the fragrance of a hand soap and could imagine your favorite celebrity smelling the same way? It happens to me all the time. Weird, right? **

**Thanks to 4EVERA POLARBEAR LOVER, FOREVERLABRATSLOVER, dorienvera, and KrisKat for being my very first reviewers. And a shout out to anyone who has followed, favorited, or simply read my story. You guys rock.**

**Disclaimer: I do not, under any circumstances, own Lab Rats. This story is purely just for fun. **

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><p>The family sat at a very nice dining table in a very nice restaurant, and all were very nicely dressed. While they talked and laughed, a waiter serving them disappeared unnoticed through a door in the wall perpendicular to the end of the table. The waiter was nervous and timid; he fidgeted with his hands as he stood in the semi-darkness before a desk where a figure shrouded in shadow sat behind it in deadly silence.<p>

Clearing his throat, the waiter said quietly, "Sir, they're here." The man behind the desk stirred and caused the waiter to flinch in surprise, but the shadowed man merely reached forward to pick up a remote on the desk. Clicking a button, the man turned around and faced a now-alive TV on the wall behind him. The waiter peered around the silhouetted man and saw that the footage was from a single security camera with a perfect view of the family sitting at their table.

A sinister smile played on the man's lips, and dark chuckles rose from his throat, creeping out the poor young waiter even more and he slipped away from the room, not going unnoticed by the man, but not stopped either. He watched the second youngest boy as he reluctantly put down the book he was reading as requested by the older sister; the man's smile grew wider in triumph as he watched the boy, his eyes flicking momentarily to the dark-haired man at the head of the table before turning back to the teen. With the reflection of the TV shining in his eyes, the man though with glee, _Finally._

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><p>"Chase!" scolded a sixteen-year-old girl with pretty auburn hair. "Put the book down! We're here to eat and socialize – not to read and be a recluse."<p>

Adam, the dark-haired teen sitting next to Chase, gasped. "Chase is turning into a spider?! Quick! Someone give me a shoe!" Chase furrowed his brow and spread his hands in a what-the-heck kind of gesture, but complied with a sigh and a glare directed at his sister; he closed the book and put it in the messenger backpack that he brought with him.

Resting his forearms on the table, Chase muttered under his breath, "Yes, Mother." He hadn't meant for anyone to hear him, but Leo, who was sitting to his left, and Adam to his right, did; their quiet snickers were proof enough. Chase had been reading a physics book worthy of Einstein, but it was all wrong. For Chase, going through physic books and correcting them was considered fun.

"Now, Bree," soothed Tasha - Chase's, Adam's, and Bree's stepmom and Leo's mother - , "you could have said 'please'." Bree looked down at her hands resting on her lap.

"Sorry," she said, but Chase couldn't tell if she was apologizing to him or Tasha.

"Now, guys, I expect you to be on your best behavior," warned Donald Davenport, father figure to the three siblings, stepfather to Leo, husband to Tasha, and more importantly (to him) a billionaire inventor.

Chase rolled his eyes good-naturally. "Of course, Mr. Davenport. Aren't we always?" he asked innocently, eliciting a few small laughs from everyone at the table except for Davenport who sighed in defeat.

"Seriously, kids. That means no smashing, crashing, banging, tearing, burning, arguing, or running – not even a breeze." Davenport emphasized his list by ticking the items off his fingers. See, the Davenports were the most _not _normal family in the whole world. While Davenport's inventions themselves were crazy and weird, his best creations ever were sitting right at his table. Adam, Bree, and Chase were bionic beings, humans advanced with technology and special abilities. Adam, the oldest of the three at the age of seventeen yet could hardly be called the smartest, had super strength, laser-shooting eyes, and other abilities currently unknown to the others and himself. Bree, the middle sibling, had super speed and voice mimicry, so far. Chase, the youngest and the only one to have seemingly discovered all of his abilities, had super intelligence, super senses, molecular kinesis, force fields, and an alter-ego called Spike; however, Spike rarely showed himself.

Leo snorted. "Please, Big D. Piece of cake." Bree looked skeptical.

"Tell the world that," she said, crossing her arms. Davenport had created them to go on missions that would be impossible for normal humans.

Adam, who had barely said a word since the rolls arrived, finally piped up with a mouth full of bread. "Thell the worlth whaht?"

"To take the night off," said Chase tiredly. The last few days alone had been booked with missions. The bionics had barely had a five minute break after completing one mission before they got shipped off to the next. The rise in crime and inventions gone wrong was baffling, to say the least, but the whole family was too tired to even think about it. Which was why they were relaxing at a restaurant; they all needed to unwind.

Unfortunately for and unknown to them, this night was the last tranquil night before all heck would break loose and where much worse times to come would push this family to its limit.

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><p>The man continued to study the family with interest. If he wanted to hurt Davenport as much as possible, he needed to find the right pressure point. Sure, the inventor loved his wife and stepson, but he hadn't been around them long enough to make deep emotional and family ties. The bionic teens, however, were raised by him, had grown on him.<p>

To the man, the youngest bionic seemed like the most logical solution. Almost every sibling and parent had a soft spot for and a special connection with the youngest and the great need to protect them. Should that youngest sibling be ripped away, the effects would be devastating. The man had no intention of physically harming the boy (just scare him a little, maybe kidnap him then let him go with a message to Davenport) because emotional damage would have the same consequences. From his observations, a few blows to the young bionic's self-esteem would be crippling, causing the boy to withdraw so deep into his genius mind that no one could pull him out.

But of course, his plans didn't stop there.

The man laughed. Yes, this will be so much fun.

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><p>The Davenports left the restaurant happy and full. Adam was hogging everyone's mints that the restaurant gave with the check, and everyone laughed at his childishness.<p>

"You would think we were starving our kids," Mr. Davenport said to Tasha with a smile, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and keeping her warm in the chill air. Chase was epically losing a battle to hide his chuckles.

"Did you see the look on the other peoples' faces when Leo and Adam ordered a fifth serving of calamari?" he rasped out to Bree who covered her smile with her hand.

"That was priceless," she agreed. Leo and Adam shared a confused glance before looking back at Bree and Chase, but then Leo's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he turned to walk backwards to face them as he pointed accusingly at them.

"Okay, you two. You guys obviously know something. Spill." Chase and Bree looked at each other shrugged.

Bree smiled and asked, "Do you even know what calamari is?" Leo slowly shook his head, obviously sensing the answer would be unpleasant.

Chase burst out laughing, cradling his midsection. "Dude! Calamari is _squid_!" The look on Leo's face and Adam's sudden fit of coughing caused Chase and Bree to lean on each other to support themselves as they died of hysterical laughter. Tasha and Donald had stopped to watch further up ahead, and they smiled at the kids' antics. Mr. Davenport studied his bionics, and it never ceased to amaze him how big they've grown and how much they've changed since they've left the lab, allowing them to grow into their own personas. Bree had grown more secure and responsible, looking after her brothers while also making decisions for herself. Chase had become more humble while also becoming more outgoing and mature. And Adam was, well, still Adam, but that's what made him unique.

"Come on, kids," called Tasha, holding her arm out. Leo came to her and they linked arms while he still wore a disgusted expression. Davenport dropped back until he was walking amid Bree and Chase and he playfully ruffled Chase's hair, much to the teen's obvious embarrassment, but who was also secretly pleased on the inside.

Davenport looked between his kids and said, "Thank you, guys, for keeping it cool tonight. It really meant a lot to me. I've been wanting to take Tasha out for a nice dinner for a while now, and I'm glad I brought you all along." Adam smiled generously.

"No problem, Mr. Davenport." Speaking in a professional voice, Adam said, "I think I speak for Chase and Bree when I say thank you for taking us to our first fancy restaurant." Chase and Bree snickered quietly, but nodded anyway.

Donald waved his hand dismissively while smiling shyly at the praise. "Aw, you guys are the best, really." He went to tousle Chase's hair again, but the boy ducked, and everyone laughed while Adam pulled Chase close by the shoulders, hugging him as Davenport clapped a hand on the youngest' shoulder, and Bree linked her arm with Davenport's like Tasha and Leo.

The family walked to the van they rode in and headed for home. Chase, who got stuck in the far back but didn't mind because he could stretch out on the entire seat, drowsily watched out of the window above his feet as the city lights flew by. It was late, 10:37:43 P.M. to be exact; it was the first time the bionics had gotten a good break from the missions, and they were all tired, but Chase, with his hands clasped behind his head, was the first to fall asleep.

Mr. Davenport listened from the passenger seat (oddly enough, Tasha insisted on driving, which was probably a good thing considered Donald had been running on caffeine the past three days) as Bree humored Adam's still active but slowly winding down mind with quiet stories of school; Leo was looking out of his window from his spot on the other side of Bree, who was in the middle. Davenport turned slightly in his seat to see the three children were all looking as if they could fall asleep any second, but he frowned when he couldn't see Chase.

As if reading his thoughts, Tasha looked in the rearview mirror and whispered, "He's passed out across the seat. Poor kid." Donald turned back around, satisfied. He worried slightly about the youngest bionic, who had a very hyper-active mind, more active than even Adam's, and sometimes that can get in the way of sleep (Davenport could relate to that: Having millions of ideas floating around in your brain when you're lying awake at night with nothing to keep your mind busy), or what little he had had in the past few days. Not that the kid would come to him if he wasn't able to sleep – no, he was much too stubborn for that. But maybe Davenport could get a prescription of strong sleeping pills if the kid actually did come to him or if it was necessary, voluntary or not.

Tasha pulled into their driveway after an hour on the road, and the two adults got out of the car to assist the teens. Leo had also fallen asleep, and had to be carried by Tasha who still didn't mind carrying her fourteen-year-old son, but Bree and Adam managed to drag themselves out of the van and into the house. Mr. Davenport folded back the middle seats in order to get to Chase who was still very much asleep, and he watched as youngest bionic's chest rose and fell with each breath and studied his peaceful yet uncharacteristically childish and unguarded facial expression. While most would say Chase was usually too honest for his own good, he always had a lock on most of his feelings most of the time, and, while he could be childlike, he could hardly be called a juvenile; sometimes, it was hard to remember that Chase was still a growing teen with needs like any other normal kid.

Davenport wondered if he should wake the bionic up, but quickly decided against it. Awkwardly, because he never had to do this before, the dark-haired man gathered Chase into his arms and followed the rest of the family into the house.

No one was in the living room; Tasha was probably upstairs, tucking in Leo, while Bree and Adam must have stumbled downstairs to their capsules. In the elevator on the way to the lab in the basement, Davenport looked down at the sleeping teen in his arms, and he again came to the realization that he had been treating the kids more as bionics designed to save the world instead of human beings who needed the same things as other growing teens: friends, parental guidance in their lives, the freedom to experience the world and to make mistakes only to learn from them; Davenport guessed that he had been so afraid that the world would find out about the bionics and the government would take them away and force them to become slaves to various and dangerous tests (and to his shame, he was afraid that the government would make bigger advancements that he) that he just shut the children away without a second thought about how that would hinder their psychological growth. Briefly, an image of him handing over a baby to two joyful parents flashed in his mind, but he swiftly pushed it away. He hadn't thought about her in a long, long time.

The elevator doors dinged open, and Davenport walked into the lab to see Adam and Bree already asleep in their capsules, and Donald gently put Chase in his, closing the door and turning off the lights before leaving the lab and going back upstairs. Tasha was waiting for him, and together they went upstairs, unknowingly going to have the last full and peaceful sleep for a while.

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><p><strong>Aaannnddd, cut! Well, that's chapter one folks. I hope the characters didn't seem too OOC. Maybe Donald was, but whatever, right? I hope it gets better the further we go. Please review and let me know what you think! I love feedback.<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**It's me again. Bringing you chapter two. The action starts picking up a little here. Oh, and just to be clear, that creepy dude first introduced in chapter one is _not_ Douglas. I remember back when I was writing the first few chapters at how similar my villain is to Douglas. I don't think that telling you guys that is a spoiler for the rest of the story; it just clears things up a bit. Also, if you think the humor is cheezy from now on, it's because I'm not good at writing humor. So that's why Adam might be a little OOC and that this story will be _way_ more serious than the show.**

**Thanks to dorienvera, shanzlol, KrisKat, and goldengirl28 for your reviews on my last chapter. And also, thanks to everyone who has favorited, followed, or read my story. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats, blah, blah, blah. You guys know the drill. **

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><p>The day started out like normal for once. Kinda.<p>

Chase woke up refreshed, but was the last one up, apparently. By the time he got upstairs, Bree, Adam, and Leo were already half finished with breakfast; Tasha was at the stove, cooking for her and Mr. Davenport. "Here you go, sweetie," she said, pointing to a plate on the counter next to her. "I saved you some." She glared at Leo who gave his best _What did I do?_ look. Chase accepted the plate with a quiet "thank you" and took a seat on the end of the island by Adam who jumped slightly at Chase's presence.

"Oh, look!" he said teasingly. "Sleeping Beauty has awakened!" He studied Chase closely. "But you don't look anything like her. She has long blond hair, and she's really tall."

Chase rolled his eyes. "That's because I'm a boy, Adam."

His brother squinted at him. "Are you sure...?"

Chase paused, looking at Adam with a deadpanned expression. "Quite sure."

As Chase dug into his scrambled eggs, Davenport came downstairs to check out the food. "Oooo, that smells good, honey," he said to Tasha, giving her a peck on the cheek as he observed her cooking skills. Turning back to the kids, he pointed at them sternly, "We leave in ten. You'd better get packin'." They all nodded, devouring what was left of their breakfast in seconds before Leo rushed upstairs to get his backpack, while the three bionics went down to the lab to get theirs. Since Adam didn't get to finish his homework and didn't have time to do it before they had to leave, Chase gave Adam the answers to write down.

"Wait…" Adam started with a confused look while Chase stood by his side impatiently with arms crossed and his backpack resting at his left hip. "Why can't you just write the answers?" Chase rolled his eyes and gave a frustrated sigh before explaining his reply as if he was talking to a three-year-old.

"Because, my handwriting won't match yours." It finally clicked for Adam, and his face brightened.

"Ah, smart thinking, little brother." Chase once again rolled his eyes, but a smile played at the corners of his lips at Adam's childlike nature.

He thought wryly, _It wouldn't take a genius to figure that out, big brother._

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><p>The bus ride was uneventful – if you considered two new kids, a boy and a girl, staring daggers at you the whole time uneventful. For some reason, Chase got the eerie feeling that he should steer clear of those kids, and the fact that both teens had the <em>exact<em> same classes as him only served to solidify the feeling, though it was kind of hard to avoid people if they're in all of your classes…and have lockers right next to yours.

The thing that surprised him most was that they were able to answer _every single question_ the teacher asked in seconds, before his brain even got the chance to register what the question was. He had always prided himself on his quick problem solving and extremely high IQ, and to have newbies come in and "outsmart" him… it left him extremely confused – and boy, did he hate to be confused – but it also left him a little bit hurt. Davenport obviously exaggerated his skills if _normal teens_ could answer every question from the teacher in a heartbeat and his "super intelligent" bionic couldn't.

The thought had crossed Chase's mind that they could be cheating, but as he observed them, never once did they look down at their hands, or desks, or laps, and besides, how could a student anticipate what questions a teacher would ask?

Chase could tell by the evil eye they were giving him that they were going to make their move, whatever it was, soon. Soon came too soon enough.

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><p>The dynamic duo made their move at lunch time. Classic.<p>

Chase was at his locker, putting away the books he didn't need and taking out the books he did need; when he shut his locker, they were waiting for him.

"So," the girl, who was very skinny but fit, sneered. "You're the 'genius' of this school, huh?" Chase eyed them warily.

"Who's asking?" The bionic teen thought that was a clever response, but it only seemed to irk them.

"It's none of your concern," said the boy, about Adam's age, but way more buff and cruel.

"Then who I am is none of yours, either," Chase snapped back, and tried to push past them but the boy stepped forward and put a meaty finger to his chest, stopping him.

"We already know who you are," he said slyly, glancing back at the sniggering girl. "And we're gonna make ya wish you were dirt before the month is over." As he was speaking, Steroid Boy poked Chase roughly in the chest until Chase's back bounced against a wall.

Swallowing down his nervousness and fear, Chase tried to act brave but failed considerably when his voice came out in a falsetto. "It takes you guys a month? I've known people who can do that in a _day_."

The boy smiled, showing overly-exaggerated yellow and broken teeth, something you would see on an antagonist in a child's movie. "True, but then it wouldn't be as _fun_." The boy gave a hard shove, and Chase hit the wall with a dull thud; he rubbed the back of his head where it came in contact with the cold stone and watched as the two marched past him and into the cafeteria. Taking a few minutes to calm his racing heart, Chase reluctantly followed the two. They were nowhere to be seen when he entered the busy room, but Chase didn't feel relieved.

He grabbed a food tray and stood in line, but he was suddenly pushed back as mountain of muscle barged his way between Chase and the person in front of him, followed by a slim body. Steroid Boy laughed and said mockingly, "Oh, I'm sorry, dork. I didn't mean to cut in front of you; it's just that I didn't see you." The girl broke into giggles, along with anyone else who heard.

_Oh, come on!_ he groaned inwardly. He knew he was short, but he seriously couldn't be _that_ short. Chase could only glare at the two, wishing he had Adam's heat vision to literally burn holes in the back of their heads. The bionic teen finally got his lunch and went to join Leo and his siblings, but a foot came out of nowhere, tripping him, and his tray of food went flying… right into the laps of the cheerleaders and football players. He stood there in total shock as they glared at him, shouting insults and threats as they brushed off his food, and barely registered that everyone was staring at him.

The foot that tripped him belonged to Slim Girl, and she laughed loudly, getting everyone's attention before saying, "Wow, such a dork! I saw him do that on purpose. He's so jealous of the popular people over there that he dumped his lunch on them." Kids murmured to each other, giving Chase weird looks and inching away from him while all he could do was stand there with shoulders slightly slumped as he looked around the room. Chase took a deep breath, straightened, and imagined all of his feelings disappearing down a bottomless and pitch black pit before walking over to his family and sitting down by Leo where he rested his arms on the table and fiddled with his fingers, staring blankly at nothing.

"Hey, man," said Leo quietly. "The lunch line is still open." Chase's eyes barely flicked to Leo before he was back to staring at the table.

"No, thanks," he said just as quietly, but with an emotionless voice that scared Bree and Leo, the only ones to pick up on it. Adam, however, didn't.

He wagged a carrot stick at Chase accusingly. "Hey, you're the one who's always nagging me about eating healthy. And here you are, being a hypocrite because you're not even eating." Adam finally got hypocrite right, and Chase looked up with a small amount of surprise in his expression.

"I'm just not hungry, Adam. How can I be healthy if I eat when I'm not even hungry?" Adam thought about it for a minute before nodded with a smile.

"Good point."

The rest of the day just went downhill from there. The nerds of the school, besides Chase, quickly realized that Chase was no longer the smartest kid in school, so they flocked to Steroid Boy and Slim Girl for help instead of Chase, and the bionic couldn't help but feel the pang of betrayal because some of those nerds just happened to be his friends. Chase was sitting in last period class as he followed this train of thought, and he huffed quietly to himself. _Some friends,_ he thought just as his chest tightened with sadness. _What do those two want?_ he asked himself as he glanced at the said two who were sitting near the front of class, diagonal to him; as if sensing his eyes on her, Slim Girl twisted her head around and she and Chase locked gazes, only for her to smirk and look away. Chase sighed.

He was not looking forward to the days ahead.

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><p>Needless to say, Chase was so relieved when he was able to flop down on the couch in Davenport's living room. Exhausted, he covered his eyes with his forearm and practically melted into the plush cushions. Adam entered in next, and taking advantage of Chase's current sitting position, Adam <em>tried<em> (tried, but failed) to sneak up behind his youngest sibling, hands raised as he tiptoed across the floor. Just as he was about to latch onto his brother's shoulders so he could shake him while yelling, Chase said, "Go away, Adam. I can hear you breathing." Adam straightened and dropped his hands to his sides.

"Oh, come on!" he whined before he trudged down to the lab with shoulders sagged at his unsuccessful attempt to scare his brother. Bree came in next, shuffling her feet as she texted and walked at the same time, heading for the lab like some kind of zombie who would occasionally laugh at dumb jokes from a dumb boyfriend. And last but not least, Leo walked in with an overly cheerful smile on his face. Leo immediately spotted Chase, and with a mischievous glint in his eye, he plopped down next to Chase and turned to face him with an elbow resting on the back of the couch.

"So," he drawled out in a voice that clearly stated he wanted something. "How was school today?" Sighing, Chase peeked out from under his arm and stared at Leo warily.

"What is it, Leo?" Leo ignored the underlying frustration in the bionic's voice and continued on with his plan.

"Wellll…" At Chase's impatiently raised eyebrow, Leo cut the act and said quickly, "I was hoping you could do my homework for me while I go hang out with some friends at Dead Man's Arcade." Irritation flared in Chase's chest, and before he could stop himself, he stood up and walked over to the island counter in the kitchen.

"Leo! How many times have I told you that I won't do your homework for you? Davenport would have my head if he found out!" Leo followed him, not ready to give up yet.

"But you do Adam's!" Chase shook his head.

"It's not the same thing. Let's face it, Adam can barely add '1+1' let alone algebra. You, on the other hand, can do your own work just fine. You don't need me."

Leo clasped his hands together and shook them in a pleading manner. "Please, Chase! It's only this one time." The bionic snorted and leaned against the island.

"That's what you told Bree, too, when you asked her to super speed you to class. It's like candy, Leo: You can't have just one piece. Before you know it, you go back for more and more and soon you become addicted."

"But I _promise_! It's _just this once_." Leo threw out his last card: the puppy dog eyes and pouty lip. "Please!" Looking at Leo's face, Chase almost gave in, but then something else occurred to him.

"Wait," he said slowly, pointing at Leo while his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Isn't Dead Man's Arcade for kids seventeen and older? What are you doing there? You're way too young." Leo's eyes widened for just a few seconds in an "oh, snap" kind of look; he schooled his features, replacing his anxiety with one of his big (and fake) smiles as he placed an arm around Chase's shoulders, guiding him along as he talked.

"You see, I got this connection, and they said they could get me in as easy as, oh, shall we say… laughing at Adam. But, since my mom won't let me go anywhere unless I finish my homework, I won't be able to go, and I have to be there by three thirty." Leo grabbed Chase's left hand and read his watch. "Which is twenty minutes from now." Leo jumped in front of the bionic, who had crossed his arms and whose eyes were still wary. "_Please_, Chase. You gotta let me go! All of my friends will be there." Another red flag went up in Chase's mind.

"What friends, Leo?" he asked, his voice somewhat higher due to his disbelief that Leo would keep lying to him. "None of your friends are old enough to even play a single game in that place, let alone you. And they certainly couldn't be your 'connection'." Leo sighed in frustration.

"They're the new kids, alright?!" An image of the two new teens that had been bullying him flashed in Chase's mind, but then Leo continued, shattering that idea. "They wear all of this punk clothes and stuff, and they're really cool. They're the first seniors _ever_ to actually want to talk to me instead of giving me wedgies." Chase raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Well, okay, they give me wedgies but they're gentle about it." Chase rolled his eyes before turning away and taking a few steps, but then he turned back around.

"Leo, do you know how bad that place is?" he asked with incredulity. This time it was Leo's turn to snort and cross his arms.

"Oh, and you do? You're _fifteen_."

"I've seen kids go in there that come out, never to be the same again. They get this glazed look in their eyes and walk around like zombies for the rest of the day, heck, even a few days. I've heard that those same people have nightmares for weeks." Chase paused and looked Leo straight in the eye. "Do you really want that?" Leo looked away.

"Fine," he spat. And that's when a brilliant and devious idea came to him. He waited a few moments, and when Chase started to walk towards the elevator that led to the lab, Leo ran to catch up with him. "Oh, Chase, wait!" Chase stopped just before the elevator and turned around expectantly. "I just remembered! Davenport wanted me to show you something." Leo pretended to think hard, as if trying to recall what Davenport said. "Ah, he wanted me to show you some new upgrades for the capsules." Chase accepted his story.

"Okay. Bree and Adam are already down there." He pushed the button for the elevator. "Where is Davenport, by the way?"

"He and my mom went shopping." Leo chuckled. "They're gonna be a while." Chase smirked and stepped into the now-opened elevator car, and Leo followed him in seconds later.

When the two teens reached the lab, Adam and Bree were nowhere to be found. Chase saw a note on one of the desks and picked it up. "Hey, it's from Bree. She says, '_Adam would _not_ stop pestering me until I took him for ice cream. In Florida. Don't ask me why because I don't know why myself. There's perfectly good ice cream in the freezer upstairs. Sincerely, Bree._'" Chase glanced over at Leo, and for some reason, the kid looked immensely relieved, but Chase didn't bother to ask. "So, what are the upgrades that Davenport wanted to show me?"

Leo replied, "Well, he said you have to be in your capsule to experience the new upgrades completely, so – in you go." Leo gently shoved Chase towards his capsule, and once the bionic was in, with the door shut, Leo thought back to yesterday when Davenport secretly installed sleeping gas into the capsules.

"_This is for emergencies only, Leo," he had said. "Say some whacko dude broke into our house and took us hostage. All we have to do is get him into one of the capsules and then you push this button. The gas instantly fills the capsule, and the intruder is sent off to la la land."_

"_Cool!" Leo exclaimed._

"_But it's not for playing practical jokes on anyone, you understand me?" Davenport had looked at Leo with stern, dark eyes._

"_Yes, but is this why you're telling_ me_ instead of Adam, Bree, and Chase?" Davenport nodded. _

"_Yeah. Adam would probably do it to Chase just for fun, Bree would do it to Adam and Chase just to get them out of her hair, and Chase would probably do it to Adam to get Adam back."_

_Leo furrowed his brows. "But how do you know that I won't do it to any of them?"_

"_I don't, but I'm trusting you to make the right choice."_

Leo felt a pang of guilt and almost backed off from what he was about to do, but then Chase asked, "Well?" and he shook off the feeling. Going to the arcade was definitely an emergency.

"Just a moment," Leo said, and his sly grin surfaced which caused Chase's heart to beat faster with growing anxiety and his stomach churned with dread.

"Wait!" he called, pushing against his door, but Leo had locked it, and now the bionic pounded on the polymer, but it was useless; no one could break the polymer except for Adam. "Leo, what are you doing?!"

Leo grinned. "I can't have you blabbing to Davenport or my mom about the arcade, and I can just get Bree to do my homework." Leo paused and pretended to study Chase with concern. "My, you look tired. I think it's time for you to take a nap." Leo adjusted the dosage so that it would last for three hours. He should be back home by then. With an evil grin and a wicked glint in his eyes, Leo pushed the button before rubbing his hands together and laughing like a psycho.

Chase heard the sound of air a pipe makes when pressure is released, and he suddenly found it hard to stay awake. "Leo, don't," he whispered before his eyes slipped closed and he fell into unconsciousness.

Still smiling, Leo said, "Too late, already did." Once in the elevator, Leo congratulated himself on his successful plan. But then a worm of doubt wriggled itself into his heart, and before he could push it away, his conscience asked, _When have I become so evil?_

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><p><strong>So that's chapter two. Please let me know what ya'll think :) <strong>


	4. Chapter 3

**I'm baaaaaack. And guess what? Stuff actually happens in this chapter. I tried to add action, but action scenes just aren't my thing 'cause I always make them too descriptive and it just ruins the effect. Anyway, let me know what you guys think! Always much appreciated! :)**

**Just a little tidbit of what's been happening lately: I rediscovered my love for NBC's Heroes. Anybody else watch it?**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed my story. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats. **

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><p>When Davenport got home, the first thing he noticed was the silence. The whole house was dead silent, and that immediately raised the inventor's suspicions. Quietly setting the groceries he was carrying down on the kitchen counter, he asked slowly, "Eddie… Where are the kids?" The computerized home system appeared on the display screen closest to Davenport.<p>

"Well, hello to you, too," Eddie said crankily. At Mr. Davenport's glare, the computer yawned and said, "Fine. Speedy and Superman dashed off to the sunshine state while your evil stepson and Einstein had a confrontation which led Darth Vader to freeze Luke in carbonite." Although Eddie's movie references were confusing to the inventor, Davenport got the gist of it and his heart nearly stopped; Bree and Adam could handle themselves because going to Florida was no big deal, but the mention of Leo and Chase did not sound good.

"Eddie, could you show the security footage of Chase and Leo and their…confrontation? Please?" Eddie rolled his eyes.

"As long as you said please, then I guess it's alright." Eddie's image was replaced by crystal clear security footage of the living room, where Davenport could see Chase sitting on the couch with his forearm covering his eyes, and the inventor was worried at how tired his youngest bionic looked, despite the good rest he had last night. Then came Adam, and Davenport couldn't help but smile at the sixteen-year-old's attempt to scare his brother and Chase's comment on how he could hear Adam breathing; Mr. Davenport wasn't surprised when Bree shuffled in, chin glued to her chest as she texted and made her way down to the lab. When Leo walked in, the adult could immediately tell something was off with his stepson.

Davenport listened in on the conversation couldn't help but admire how maturely Chase was handling the situation. For a moment, Davenport was worried that Chase might give in, but he could practically see the light bulb go off in the bionic's head just before he asked Leo about the arcade he wanted to go to. With increasing horror, he watched as the argument grew between the two teens, and as Chase walked away after Leo 'gave in', Davenport saw his stepson's eyes flash with cunning unlike anything Big D. had ever seen in Leo; the said person followed the bionic, and the security camera footage switched so that Davenport could now watch them as they stood in front of the elevator.

"_I just remembered!"_ Leo said. _"Davenport wanted me to show you something."_ Pause. _"Ah, he wanted me to show you some new upgrades for the capsules."_

Davenport blinked. What upgrades? He only made one – …Oh. Davenport swallowed thickly, feeling betrayed and appalled. As Chase read Bree's note in the lab, Davenport dreaded the next few moments as Chase was completely unsuspecting of Leo's intentions.

"_So, what are the upgrades that Davenport wanted to show me?"_ Chase asked.

"_Well, he said you have to be in your capsule to experience the upgrades completely, so – in you go."_ Leo pushed Chase towards his capsule.

Leo spaced out for a few moments, and Chase asked, _"Well?"_

"_Just a moment,"_ Leo said, and a deceitful grin appeared on his face, and that's when Chase figured out something wasn't right.

"_Wait!"_ Chase yelled, pounding on his capsule door, but Leo had locked it, and Davenport knew that no one besides Adam could break the polymer. _"Leo, what are you doing?!"_

"_I can't have you blabbing to Davenport or my mom about the arcade, and I can just get Bree to get my homework."_ Leo paused to study Chase with mock concern. _"My, you look tired. I think it's time for you to take a nap."_ Davenport could only watch the footage with disgust as Leo adjusted the sleeping gas dosage, and his heart lurched at the terror written across Chase's face. As the gas leaked into Chase's capsule, Leo laughed and rubbed his hands like a mad scientist; he certainly had the crazy look on his face right.

Davenport could barely hear Chase whisper, _"Leo, don't"_ before the bionic was forced into unconsciousness by the gas, falling back against the glass and sliding down until he was sitting on the floor of the capsule.

As Leo walked away, the dark-haired man watching the screen heard his stepson say, _"Too late, already did."_

_What had Leo become?_ Davenport wondered as he raced down to the lab to check on his youngest bionic – no, his _son._

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><p>The first thought that came to Chase's sleepy mind was, <em>What is that awful smell?<em> Sure enough, the foulest smelling air entered Chase's nose and he briefly wondered if Adam let one rip in his capsule, but then, as the bionic groggily got to his feet and hastily pushed out of his case, coughing the whole time, he become conscious of the fact that he had been alone. His feet stumbled on the capsule's thresh hold, and it was as he was about to take a step to steady himself that he also realized that his legs were very weak and they chose that moment to give out. Luckily, someone caught him before he did a fantastic face plant on the lab's cement floor.

A muffled voice reached his ears, but his brain was still too muddled to comprehend what the person was saying, and since his nose was still plugged from the whatever-it-was gas and his face was buried in someone's shirt, he wasn't able to identify who it was that caught him. If he had been able to move his stupid arms, he'd have clutched his pounding head. _What happened?_ he groaned inwardly. _My brain feels like it's been removed, put in a blender, and then poured back into my skull. _The person, whoever it was, dragged Chase over to a chair and sat him down, where, finally, his hearing came into focus.

"Chase? Chase! C'mon, wake up, pal." It was Davenport. Chase stared up at the dark-haired man blankly because his eyes were still seeing doubles and he couldn't tell which Davenport was the real one.

"D'enprt?" he slurred, and the inventor was glad that Chase was at least responsive. "Wha happn?" Chase found that his arms were working again, and he brought a hand to hold his head. "Ma hed hurths." Mr. Davenport gently took Chase's wrist and pulled it away before he grasped the bionic's head and searched the teen's unfocused eyes.

"You really don't remember anything?" he asked. He watched as the kid struggled for answers, hoping that Chase would figure it out on his own. He did.

Chase found sudden clarity that came with the memories, and all of his senses and thoughts snapped into place at once. "Leo!" he shouted, jumping to his feet before Davenport could stop him. Putting a hand to his brow, Chase paced a few steps away before snarling, "That brat."

Davenport came up behind him and twisted him around by the shoulders and asked, "Are you okay, Chase?" Chase scowled and looked away.

"No. Leo betrayed me. We were supposed to be friends." Davenport shared the feeling.

"It's not everyday your stepson goes rogue," he agreed as he finished his assessment of the bionic; the kid looked fine physically, but they would have to work on the mental part later. "Come on, kiddo," he said, clasping a comforting hand at the base of Chase's head. "Let's bring Leo home and see what we can do." Chase nodded and followed Davenport to his self-driving car where Chase gave Davenport the Dead Man's Arcade's address to log into the car's system.

After a few minutes of silence, Chase asked, "So… You saw the security tape footage?" At Davenport's nod, the teen gave an empty half smile when his suspicions were confirmed before turning back to look out of his window.

Davenport suddenly remembered something Leo said and had some pieces of the puzzle that needed filling. "Leo said that he had these new friends at school- punk-dressed seniors." He hesitated, but at Chase's expectant look, he continued. "Have you seen them around?"

Chase shrugged before replying, "I don't know. I've been too busy with my own prob- uh, project. Yeah, project." Davenport glanced at his bionic with a disbelieving look and was about to challenge Chase on his weak cover up, but the car suddenly slowed and dinged.

"_Arrived at destination," _said the emotionless female car voice. Both passengers got out of the car and crossed the lot while looking up at its imposing structure. The entire building was made out of blackened bricks with a blood red sign that read "Dead Man's Arcade." Through the automatic glass doors, the entire arcade was dark except for the lights coming from many games inside, and kids stood at almost all of them – too completely obsessed with their game to even care that they had been standing there for hours.

Chase and Mr. Davenport entered the building, searching the games until they spotted Leo standing in front of a game called _Zombie Hunters_, but it was a total understatement. The two watched in disgust as Leo picked up a fake gun connected to the game, tranquilized a zombie, put the gun down, picked up the fake hatchet that was attached to the game, hacked the zombie's head off, put the hatchet back, picked up the fake knife attached to the game, and started cutting the zombie open with sick fascination…doing all of that without even blinking an eye.

Davenport tried talking to Leo, but his words fell on deaf ears, so he and Chase shared a look of agreement before the bionic wrapped his arms around Leo's shoulders while Davenport grabbed Leo's legs, forcefully pulling Leo away from his game which did the trick.

"Put me down, you short person!" he spat, looking up at Chase with frenzied eyes, and was literally foaming at the mouth. He struggled against the hands that held him, but he was still weak compared to the elder teen and adult. However, as soon as they stepped out of the arcade, Leo went completely limp in their grips with glazed-over eyes and a blank expression.

"Seriously," Chase complained. "What is wrong with this arcade?" As Davenport and Chase finished stuffing Leo in Davenport's car, the bionic froze with one foot in the vehicle and his left arm resting on the rim of the roof. "Wait, now that I think about it, all of the kids in there from my school are the ones that get low grades."

Davenport sighed from his side of the car. "Chase, the whole school has low grades compared to you. Be specific." Chase glared at the dark-haired man but continued.

"Those kids in there," he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, "all get _D-_'s or lower." Big D's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

"But – Leo's been getting _A_'s through _C_'s on his report cards."

A sheepish looked crossed the bionic's face as he said, "Welllll… Not exactly…"

"Chase… What did you do?"

"Okay, fine. Leo was desperate. You and Tasha told him that he couldn't play video games unless his scores improved, and he was having serious withdrawals." At Davenport's disbelieving look, Chase raised his hands in an innocent gesture. "No lie; that kid was terrifying. So, anyway, he coerced me into creating an exact replica of his report card…with a few, uh, small adjustments…" he added reluctantly.

"Unbelievable!" Davenport threw his hands in the air before turning away and turning back again. "Kids and their video games! Leo is so grounded when we get this mess cleaned up." After a few seconds, Davenport spotted a sliver of relief in Chase's eyes and added, "You, too!" At Chase's shocked and guilty expression, he continued. "I am so disappointed in you, Chase. I designed you to be smart – smarter than anyone else in the _world_ – and therefore, I had hoped that you would make wiser choices." With that, Davenport got into the car and slammed his door; when Chase didn't get in right away, the inventor leaned over to peer at Chase. "Get in the car. _Now_." Chase's face darkened and he slammed the door.

The window was down, so he said, "No. I'm walking." Before Davenport had a chance to reply, Chase walked away quickly, his whole body language brimming with anger. Davenport watched him go, his mouth hanging open in shock for a few moments before he snapped it shut and turned on the car before manually driving it home, zooming past Chase.

As Davenport looked in the rearview mirror at the bi- his son, he felt a twinge of worry, almost slowing down to wait for the teen to catch up, but then he shook himself thinking, _He probably needs some time and space to think. He'll be fine._

_I hope._

* * *

><p>As Chase walked, sulking in his thoughts, he stuck his hands into his front pockets as the wind blew open his unbuttoned, red-and-blue-checkered flannel shirt to reveal a black tee underneath. Kicking at a stone on the sidewalk, Chase muttered darkly about Davenport and his blindness to other people's feelings. Chase was just betrayed by his best (maybe only, considering the circumstances) friend, his step-brother, and Davenport was already yelling at him, having completely forgotten about the incident and never once even asked how Chase was feeling. Although, Chase admitted, it would have been kind of awkward if Davenport had asked, but at least he would have asked.<p>

So lost in his thoughts was Chase that he didn't even notice two teens coming up behind him until they grabbed his arms and pulled him down an alley before he even got the chance to comprehend what happened. "Hey!" he yelped. When he saw who it was, he couldn't hide the look of surprise on his face. "What, are you guys following me now?"

Steroid Boy just snarled and Slim Girl snickered; they put him down just long enough so that they could pick him up just like the way Chase and Davenport had done with Leo, but instead of tossing him in a car, they tossed him into a dumpster filled to the brim with smelly, sticky, and disgusting garbage. As Chase scrambled to get out of the garbage, the two took off running with hysterical laughter echoing off of the ally walls, leaving the younger teen alone, spluttering and coughing against the awful fumes.

The bionic flung himself out of the dumpster and landed hard on his side where he proceeded to roll onto his back, still coughing from the garbage, but he managed to get to his feet and lean against the wall, thoroughly disgusted. Pieces of garbage stuck to his clothes and a sticky substance covered his palms from the inside edge of the dumpster – his stomach churned at the thought of all the different germs on the garbage, and he tried as hard as he could to hold down his lunch but ultimately lost the fight and dived behind the dumpster where he emptied his stomach. Now even more revolted, Chase wiped his mouth with his flannel shirt (one of his favorites, by the way) before staggering out of the alley and trudging for home, his mood fouler than before.

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><p>The man watched in interest through a store's outside security camera feeding into his tablet as the boy walked home, his normally cheerful personality was now sullen - it was great. Shadow Man smiled; perfect. His plan was already working. While his two "volunteers" worked on the bionic's self-esteem, he was free to put the rest of his plan into action. With the Davenports focusing on family issues, he was allowed to destroy some inventions here, steal others there – all under the noses of the inventor and his super-human teenagers. Soon, he'll have all the equipment he needs to take over the world, and the only ones able to get in his way would be spread so thin to even stop <em>.13%<em> of his operations.

Stretching, the man stood and walked around his desk, deeper into the shadows where a hidden door was built into the wall. As he pushed the door open, he smiled.

Davenport couldn't surprise him anymore.

* * *

><p>When Chase got home forty-five minutes later, the bionic was in desperate need of a hot shower, clean clothes, and a comfy couch, or bed, to collapse on. Davenport was nowhere to be seen in the upper floors of the house, so Chase assumed he was down in the lab with Leo, and while the long walk home had given the teen time to cool off about Davenport, he was still reluctant to face the inventor… his… father… just yet. So he went upstairs to his room to get fresh set of clothes.<p>

Davenport had reluctantly given each of the bionics rooms, but only because it was to keep their cover story more plausible. If the bionics had friends over, wouldn't it seem suspicious that the teens didn't have any rooms to sleep – to live – in? Each bedroom had a bed, of course, but they were rarely used because the teens still slept in their capsules downstairs; each bedroom had a dresser filled with clothes, accompanied with a closet for dress clothes and shoes; each teen had a desk to do school work or whatever else they wanted to do on it if they couldn't concentrate in the lab; and lastly, each room had a set of shelves for decorations or whatever else they decided to put on there, and a bookshelf; however, the styles of each item listed varied between the three teens, since they got to design their own rooms. Chase's bookshelf was filled with all different kinds of his favorite books, ranging from authors like Shakespeare and Mark Twain and Susan Cooper to James Patterson, Jonathan Stroud, Christopher Paolini, and Rick Riordan. Bree's, however, was the complete opposite.

While the occasional romantic novel was ideal for Chase, Bree's bookshelf was crammed with love stories; so lovey-dovey were they that Chase wanted to puke. Literally. And not only that, but Bree also seemingly managed to collect every fashion magazine ever published. And Adam… well, Adam's book collection was the most interesting. Adam amuses himself with whatever he can find, and that also included his literature. Surprisingly, Adam has all kinds of magazines, from sports to even _fashion_; books for kids through teens.

As he walked past Bree's unoccupied room, Chase couldn't help but stop and make a face at the colors. Bree's queen-sized bed set was the color of dark purple, purplish grey, lavender, and white. The walls were a deeper lavender color, the carpet was white, and white laced blinds blew gently in front of a window. All in all, it gave off a very girly feel, yet it seemed more mature due to the deeper colors. Bree's desk was made out of dark mahogany wood, as was her bookshelf, wall shelves, and dresser. Pictures of friends, girly decorations, stuffed animals, perfume and lotion bottles, and a jewelry box ordained the shelves neatly, but Chase still wrinkled his nose, mostly because of the sweet fumes that circulated in the air but also because of all the girl drama that must go on in this room.

Adam's room was next, but Chase still couldn't help the feeling of disgust as he glanced in his older brother's room. It looked as if a tornado had specifically targeted Adam's room, and that was putting it lightly; clothes were strewn around the room _everywhere_ – dirty and clean – as well as magazines, old pizza and various take-out boxes (to Chase's immediate repulsion, some boxes still had food in them), and many, many wires from all of the different game controllers and consoles. Davenport had granted Adam his request for video games in his room, and that was why Adam was the only one with a TV, strictly for gaming purposes only. The colors of Adam's room were like the colors of the light spectrum; his walls were blinding orange, the carpet was light green, his king-sized comforter set was red and black, his desk chair was yellow to go with his black desk, and his wooden shelves, bookshelf, and dresser were stained dark brown.

Chase passed by the only spare bedroom upstairs, completely empty and boring. He paused in the doorway, but soon moved on, shaking off a strange feeling.

Lastly, Chase came to his room. Each room was the same size, so when the bionics picked out their rooms, no one would have an unequal amount of space, and Davenport allowed them to design their rooms the way they wanted them so no one could be accused of having a nicer room. While Bree's and Adam's rooms were colorful and light, the youngest bionic's room was quiet and calming, colors that wouldn't distract Chase if he was working on a project, which he was most of the time. He chose blue grey walls with a grey carpet and white drapes across his window; his bed, which was only a queen since he didn't need a king, was covered by sheets and a comforter with colors ranging from black, light blue, grey, and white. The top of his desk was made of sturdy glass and was supported black metal legs. Chase's dresser, bookshelf, and shelves were all stained black, and books accompanied every ounce of space on the latter two. Parts of various machines were scattered on his desk and dresser, while his bed was made and ready for use.

Chase gazed at it longingly but shook himself and gathered some clean clothes from his dresser before heading back down the hall to the bathroom to take a shower. He came out of the bathroom ten minutes later smelling – and feeling, mind you – clean, but his relief was short-lived when Bree dashed up the stairs just before he was about to disappear into his bedroom to take a nap. "Chase!" she exclaimed. "Where the heck have you _been_?!" Chase rolled his eyes before turning around to face his sister, about to tell her it was no big deal and that she should leave him alone, but he was cut off. "We've been worried sick, especially Davenport!" That made the youngest sibling freeze for just a second, but his previous, though now dwindling, anger at the inventor resurfaced and he refused to acknowledge that Davenport was actually worried until he saw for himself.

"I… went for a… walk." Chase, never well at lying because he pretty much always told the truth (much to people's annoyance), cleared his throat and elaborated further. "Uh, yeah, I needed to clear my head. Too many ideas in this genius mind of mine." At the last few words, he tapped his temple while simultaneously backing into his room, clasping his hands as his eyes darted nervously from Bree's suspicious face to the bare walls of the hallway. "So, now I've got a really great idea for a project and I'm just gonna work in my room for a while and-" Bree cut him off once again.

"Oh, no you don't. Davenport told us everything about what happened between you and Leo and him." Speeding forward before he could duck into his room and shut the door, she grabbed his arm and super sped him down to the lab, and when Bree stopped and let him go, Chase stumbled as the world spun and he was lucky to bump into a counter to steady himself.

"Chase!" Chase closed his eyes and groaned inwardly at the sound of Davenport's – yes, ladies and gentleman, no lie – worried voice. "Are you okay? When you didn't come home when I thought you would, I thought something happened."

Turning to face the dark-haired man, Chase narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't that late! What was your estimate of my time of arrival?"

"Forty minutes."

Chase made an annoyed gesture with his hand. "I was only five minutes late! Big deal!"

"It is a big deal because I care about you, Chase! I was very worried when you didn't come home right away." Something flashed in the bionic's eyes, but before Davenport could decipher it, Chase looked away to survey the lab. Adam was eating popcorn while watching them, Bree was blocking the main route of escape, and Leo was lying on a gurney with his arms and legs strapped down.

Swallowing, the fifteen-year-old approached Leo, who looked to be asleep – or unconscious. "How is he?" he asked quietly while looking down at his former friend. Davenport came up behind him and laid a hesitant hand on Chase's shoulder, who tensed slightly but then relaxed.

"There was some sort of unidentifiable drug in his system, but from what I can tell, it produces receptors that block the serotonin from reaching the cells of his brain, which can cause obsession, a huge amount of it. Serotonin also regulates body functions like sleeping and memory; a person infected with this drug will cease these functions until the obsession has been appeased, and they'll… do anything to achieve their goal. Obsession _is_ like an addiction-" Chase looked back at Davenport and the two shared a look, obviously thinking about what Chase said to Leo earlier, "a person obsessed with something has to be weaned off of whatever they're obsessed with, like a puppy when it gets too old to stay with its mother." Squeezing Chase's shoulder slightly, Davenport moved to stand on the other side of Leo. Davenport's face turned sad as he gazed at his stepson. "But this drug works fast and strong; it would be impossible to wean them off of their obsession, and I've been able to deduce that the drug kills the infected because – in their fixation – they won't eat, drink, or sleep."

"Or use the bathroom," Adam finally piped up. Chase nodded as if to say, _Good point_.

Davenport paused, momentarily thrown off track, casting a weird look at Adam before continuing. "However, the good news is that I was able to flush most of the drug out of Leo's system before it did too much damage."

"Wait," Bree interjected. "Mr. Davenport, if Leo wasn't supposed to be able to sleep, then why did he go comatose?"

Davenport's brow furrowed. "I haven't the slightest idea." He pouted like a little kid at his inability to figure the problem out when he was supposed to have a genius mind, and he was a little hurt when Chase came up with a solution, but he shouldn't have been surprised because he _designed_ Chase to be smarter than him. Still, though.

"It had to have been the arcade!" the youngest bionic exclaimed. "Remember when I told Leo how kids that go in there never come out the same," he asked Davenport, who nodded. "That had to have been it! Maybe the arcade's…. what-ever-it-is overrode the obsession drug in Leo's body."

Donald was about to respond when Leo stirred. Everyone looked at the teen with expectant faces which slowly turned to confusion when Leo didn't wake. Instead, he looked like he was… kissing?

"Mmmm, Janelle." More smooching sounds. Bree quickly got out her phone and started to take a video while everyone tried to hold back their snickers. "You're the video to my game, the remote to my tv, the- ZOMBIE! Die, die, DIE!" Leo started to thrash around, and if the straps weren't holding him down, it might have looked like he was pounding something into the ground… or chopping a zombie to death with an ax. "Oh, Janelle, did I get zombie blood on your shirt? I'm so sorry. Here, take this napkin. You want me to buy you a new shirt?! Are you insane? Buy your own shirt! Wait… No..! No, don't! Nooooooo!" Leo sat bolt upright, wide awake. "AHHHHHHH! She ate my brain!" Everyone burst out laughing, cradling their stomachs.

Bree stopped the video and said, giggling, "I am so keeping this for blackmail."

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><p><strong>So, this isn't a cliffhanger. Cool, huh? But don't forget to come back next week 'cause that's when the real action start. See ya next Saturday, peeps. <strong>


	5. Chapter 4

**And here we are again. As you read this chapter, please don't hate me. Hehehe. Also, I would like to thank EVERYONE that has read my story or followed or favorited or reviewed my story. It means a ton. I just get blown away by the responses. *Sniffs and wipes away tears of gratefulness* Anyways... I finally decided to get off my butt and started working on chapter ten, which is coming along quite nicely, if I do say so myself. I should probably stop taking up your time and just get on with the story. So here it is!**

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><p>After Davenport had made sure that Leo was completely back to normal, the inventor had finally released his stepson from the restraints. When Leo had asked what happened, the bionics and their creator shared a solemn look before Davenport pulled up the security footage from earlier to show to Leo. Chase left, not wanting to relive through the moment again, while the others stayed down in the lab since Bree and Adam hadn't seen the footage yet, and went upstairs to his room where he collapsed on his bed with his arms folded behind his head, mulling over all that had happened during the day.<p>

The sun was setting outside his window, casting a golden glow over his room. Chase got up jadedly and went to the window, stuffing his hands in his pockets. One of the few reasons that Chase specifically chose this room was the view; dang – the view. It was breathtaking as the sun set behind the hills in the distance with purple, pink, orange, yellow, and red clouds illuminated in the dying light while the city in the valley below, thrown into shadow by the hills, came to life as the lights within the buildings started to shine.

Chase reluctantly turned away from the window before launching himself onto his bed stomach-first and he rested his head on his folded arms before he promptly asleep.

He was shaken awake after what felt like only a few minutes, but his internal clock system told his groggy mind that he had been asleep for an hour.

"Chase!" Tasha. "Come on, honey. It's time for supper." Chase lifted his head and looked at her, a little disoriented, but nodded. Tasha smiled softly, patting his shoulder comfortingly when he sat up before smoothing down his mussed up hair, much to his embarrassment, but he smiled anyway. He sat on his bed for a few seconds after Tasha left, mentally preparing himself, then he got up and went downstairs, fixing his ruffled shirt on the way.

Everyone was seated at the table, dishing food onto their plates, smiling and laughing. When Chase took his seat on Davenport's left, who was sitting at the head of the table, and on Bree's right, everyone else quieted down, eyes flicking between Leo, who sat at Tasha's left, who was at the _other_ end of the table, and the youngest bionic. The two avoided each other's gazes, focusing on their plates, but ultimately ended up pushing around their food with their forks. Everyone noticed this, even Adam, but it was Davenport who broke the awkward silence.

"So, kids, how was school today?"

Bree smiled and said, "Owen had me pose as his model for art class and he painted me to be a princess, and the dress was-"

"Yeah, that's great, Bree," Davenport cut in. Bree shrugged off the interruption, too caught up in her daydream of Owen to care. "Adam?"

The oldest sibling, who was sitting between Leo and Davenport, was in mid-chew of his food when Davenport turned to him. He swallowed the rest of his food before answering. "I got a _D_ on my math test today. The teacher said that I improved a lot. Although, he talked to me as if I was a three-year-old. Do I look three to you?" Adam gestured to himself with an annoyed expression before going back to stuffing food into his mouth.

Bree leaned over to Chase and whispered, knowing his super-hearing would pick up her words, "If you call going from a _D_- to a _D_ a lot of improvement, then I would talk that way too."

Chase smirked and whispered back, "And just because he doesn't _look_ three, doesn't mean he isn't." The two bionics looked back at Adam but froze with wide eyes. Their brother was currently sticking green beans up his nose. "I rest my case," Chase murmured.

"Adam, you can't eat green beans through your nose," Leo said with a disgusted look.

"Well, I just thought that since they're long enough and they can fit in your nose holes that it seemed like a good idea," Adam reasoned innocently.

"First of all, Adam," Chase started, pointing his fork at his older brother, "your 'nose holes' are called _nostrils_. And secondly, the only thing you'll achieve out of this is to cover your green beans in…" he trailed off when Adam pulled the green beans out of his nose and ate them without a second thought, "…mucus." Everyone else stared at him with revolted expressions before looking down at their plates, having suddenly lost their appetite.

Tasha grimaced at Adam, who was still eating, oblivious to the weird looks he was getting, but she then turned to Leo. "And how was school for you, mister?" she said to her son.

Leo glanced quickly at Chase, but the bionic was staring at his plate with a frown, obviously deep in thought, relocating his food from one side of the plate to the other. "Uh, it was great, Mom. Actually, it was pretty normal, minus the fact that I got fewer wedgies than normal." Finally, Davenport looked to Chase.

"And how did it go for you, Chase," he asked, but when Chase didn't respond, Bree nudged him in the side.

"Wha- Huh?"

"I asked, how di-"

Chase cut him off his a wave of his fork. "Oh, it was fine." Then he muttered under his breath, "Just dandy," and then he murdered his steak by stabbing it with his fork and then cutting it with his knife.

Bree frowned and then leaned towards Chase. "Aren't you going to tell them?" she whispered.

"Tell them what? Bree, there's nothing to discuss." Bree straightened and then tossed her hair back stubbornly.

"Mr. Davenport, Chase is being bullied in school." Chase's knife clatters on his plate and he looked at his sister with a shocked and hurt expression.

"Bree!"

Tasha and Donald looked at Bree, their movements frozen.

"What?" Tasha asked, now staring at Chase. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Chase squirmed, this time feeling uncomfortable in the spotlight of attention when he usually craved it. "It wasn't that important. It's not like I haven't been bullied before."

"But this time it's worse," Bree added, ignoring the dark glare she received from her younger brother. Davenport put down his silverware carefully.

"Chase, if something is bothering you, you can come to us, you know that, right?" Chase looked down at his lap and shrugged.

"I just… didn't want to worry you. With what happened to Leo, and everything, it didn't seem important at the time."

Tasha looked at the fifteen-year-old with sympathy. "How bad is it?" she asked softly.

"Pretty bad," he confessed.

"But you have to admit," Adam piped in, "they were pretty smart. They did all of my homework in five minutes." Chase's head whipped up to stare at Adam with betrayal in his eyes.

"You knew they were bullying me, your _brother_, and you still accepted help from them?" He pushed away from the table and stood up. "I can't believe this, even my own family turned against me." Chase threw his hands in the air before turning around and storming down to the lab. Silence hung in the air as the table's occupants stared wide-eyed at each other.

Donald looked at his remaining two bionics warily. "Just how smart are we talking?"

Bree answered gravely, "Beyond Chase-genius." Davenport nodded and stood up, putting the napkin that was on his lap onto the table before following the youngest bionic. Everyone continued eating in silence because no one could find the right words to say.

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><p>Chase was beating the dumb out of the dummy when Davenport got down to the lab. He had used the stairs and his arrival went unnoticed by the teen, at least for now. So the inventor leaned against the doorframe with crossed arms and used this time to observe not the skills of the bionic, but his behavior. The teen was completely angry, that much was obvious, but looking closer, Davenport caught the tiniest sliver of uncertainty and hurt in the teen's body language. Donald's ears perked when Chase started to mutter to himself.<p>

"What if they _are_ smarter than me?" Pause, then a roundhouse kick to the dummy's stomach. "No way… And yet, everyone loves them." A twist around the right side of the dummy then a karate chop to the crook of the neck. "But that's not possible. Unless…" Chase froze and stared into the distance as a terrifying possibility came to mind. "Unless they're not fully human." Davenport had heard enough and decided to announce his presence.

"Chase-" the kid whipped around so fast that he nearly lost his balance, "you know that idea is totally ridiculous." Chase's face quickly morphed from surprise to anger.

"Is it? Think about it: they're smarter and faster than _me_."

Davenport walked closer. "Look, I came down here to try to help you through this situation, but your suspicion that they may be bionic or somehow technologically advanced is farfetched, to say the least. Look, they may just have faster response reflexes than you."

Chase looked at Davenport with a deadpanned expression. "All the nerds at school go to them for help." Davenport furrowed his brow at the momentary stump in his reasoning, but then he came up with another solution.

"Look, Chase, they're new kids who are extremely smart. Wouldn't you try to be friends with them too, as long as they weren't, you know, bullying you." At that moment, any hope that Chase had that his "father" would help him died instantly.

"You know what," Chase said with an empty smile and defeated eyes, "you're probably right. They're just regular bullies that promised to ruin my life in a month. No big deal." Davenport's face scrunched in confusion.

When Chase pushed past Donald, the inventor tried to call the teen back. "Chase, wait-" but then the bionic was gone, and Davenport lost his chance.

For the rest of the night, Chase mostly avoided his family, either reading a book or working on a project as an excuse to get away. And when it was time for bed, Chase was first to get in his capsule and pretended to be asleep when the others arrived. Chase enhanced his hearing to hear their whispers, but he otherwise remained still.

"That was totally unexpected," Bree commented.

"Yeah, who knew Chase could be so dramatic. He should try out for theater at school," Adam said.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Well, be clearer next time."

"Try being smarter next time!"

"Enough already!" Davenport's voice cut in. "What Bree meant was the way Chase acted. He doesn't normally act that way, right, Adam?" he asked the oldest bionic pointedly.

"Ohhhhhhh..." Chase could just imagine the look of understanding dawning on Adam's face.

"Now, did you guys ever see Chase being bullied by those two?"

There was a pause, and Chase guessed that Bree, Adam, and Leo (Chase had intensified his hearing to pick up four heartbeats, so he assumed that the fourth heart belonged to Leo) were sharing uncertain looks.

"Well, we did see the new girl trip Chase at lunch, dumping his food on the jocks and cheerleaders, and then lied saying that he did it on purpose because he was jealous," Bree admitted.

"That's it? That's all you saw?" Davenport's whisper was incredulous.

Leo spoke up quietly, "To be honest, Big D., we don't… really pay much… attention to what Chase does."

"Yeah," Bree agreed shamefully. "We" - Chase could envision her looking to Adam - "always felt that Chase could take care of himself, so we paid more attention to…" she trailed off, too abashed to continue, but Donald finished it for her.

"To yourselves, right?" Davenport sounded disappointed. "Leo, I can understand that you don't really have to look out for Chase since he's older than you, but you two-" Chase visualized Davenport pointing an accusing finger at his older siblings, "-should have been there for him more."

Adam spoke next with sorrow in his voice. "Mr. Davenport, we know that Chase is our baby brother - how could we not? But Chase is…"

"…Chase is not exactly… popular," Bree added. Their voices had already risen from whispers to quiet talking, but Chase knew Davenport was having a hard time keeping a lid on it.

"And you let that stop you?!" he said, his voice rising a few octaves with the strain of keeping quiet but also trying to express his emotions.

"We're sorry Big D.! We'll do better from now on, I promise," Leo pleaded. For a few seconds, the room was dead silent, but then Davenport finally replied.

"Alright," he sighed. "But starting tomorrow, you will watch out for him, and scare off those bullies if you can." Davenport sighed again. "Take care of your brother," he said finally.

The teens agreed, but Chase didn't hear them because, suddenly, a very, _very_ high pitched noise assaulted his ears, probably made worse since his already-sensitive hearing was doubled. The bionic couldn't help the scream that escaped his throat as his hands flew to his ears to try and block the sound, but to no avail. He thrashed in his capsule, and he was only vaguely aware of hands pulling him out. People were trying to calm him down, trying to ask him questions, but nothing except the high pitched whistle that tore through his head was able to get through. Hands grabbed at his flailing limbs, trying to hold him down on the floor where he had been writhing in his agony, and they finally succeeded at pulling his hands away from his ears, pinning his limbs to the concrete floor.

Chase's back arched off of the ground, and he strained his muscles against the hands that restrained him as another scream ripped through his throat, the pain in his head suddenly doubling. Black pushed at the edges of his blurry vision, his eyes now open to see faces looming over him, but then they shut again as a fresh pulse of what-ever-it-was entered his ears, making him struggle harder to curl in on himself. He arched his back again, this time more forcefully, and when he opened his eyes to try to see past the tears that were spilling from his tear ducts, he saw that everyone besides the two that were holding him down was in a frenzy.

Unconsciousness loomed in, and as it got closer, the whistle seemed to get louder. And then, when one more pulse, extremely louder than the rest, came and entered Chase's ears, there was a _pop_.

Total silence engulfed him as the teen's eyes rolled back in his head, his eyelids closed, and his muscles went lax.

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><p>Everyone froze when Chase suddenly went limp, having gone insentient. Leo was the first to move, prying his hands off of Chase's arms and staring in devastation at the marks he had left behind. Adam was next, removing his hands from his younger brother's legs and slowly getting to his feet with a gaping mouth, hardly remembering to breathe. Bree was kneeling beside Chase's head with the sound proof headphones, made specifically for Chase, in her hands, but she had been too late. The fastest human being on earth and she was <em>too late<em>.

Davenport stood behind young girl, his hands still in the same position they had been in when holding the headphones before Bree had super-speeded over to him and took them from his hands; his face had gone pale, his eyes wide as he gazed at his son lying on the floor. Tasha had rushed down to the lab when she had heard the screaming, but now she stood in the entranceway with a hand pressed to her mouth in shock. Seconds ticked by and still no one spoke. But then Davenport shook himself and he gently moved Leo and Bree out of the way so that he could gather Chase in his arms and set him down on the gurney the inventor had used for Leo. Tasha came to stand by her husband's side as he silently buckled the cuffs on the teen's wrists and ankles.

"Are the restraints really necessary?" she asked in a small voice, still horrified by what she saw.

Davenport answered only when he was done adjusting the confinements. "They're to make sure he doesn't hurt himself or others if there is another… attack or… something." He searched the lab, collecting the items he needed and setting them on the counter beside the gurney. "Now," he said distractedly, still looking around to see if he was missing anything, "I need… I need everyone to leave this lab, and let me do my work." Adam, Leo, and Bree started to shuffle towards the elevator, Tasha following behind and she put a hand on Bree's shaking shoulder, comforting the bionic as she started to cry.

Just before the elevator door closed, Tasha got a glimpse of Donald leaning over Chase with a scanner in his hand, his face looking grim. Tasha swallowed, looked to the ceiling, and said a prayer to anyone who listened that Chase would be alright.

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><p>Two hours later, Davenport was sitting next to the stretcher on which his youngest bionic lay, deep in slumber; his chin gripped in his left hand, the inventor's face was unreadable as he stared at the teen. A data pad was held in his other hand, ignored for now. The results were <em>not<em> good. He didn't know how to tell his family, and he especially didn't know how to break it to Chase. The kid would be devastated when-

Davenport shuddered out of his thoughts and glanced down wearily at his tablet, but the findings on the screen only sickened him so he stood up and carelessly tossed the data pad on the counter before going over to a glowing screen on the opposite workbench. He replayed the recording he had separated from his security footage, having isolated the background noise and turned up the frequency, with different colored frequency waves, and violá - he uncovered a _very_ high pitch sound that got louder and louder the longer it went on… and it was specifically made just for Chase's ears. It made the man's blood boil at the thought that someone had attacked one of his family members right under his nose.

He looked at the diagnostic he was running beside the recording. He was tracing where the signal had come from, trying to pin point the device that had emitted the sound. Once he found it, he hoped he could find the people who orchestrated the attack, or to at least find traces, so that he could get the device off the street and it wouldn't be used again. Not that it mattered anyway. Davenport sighed and went over to one of Eddy's screens.

"Eddy, could you tell Tasha and the kids to come down here, please?" he said tiredly, glancing at his watch. Twelve-thirty at night.

"Do you want me to wake the brats?" Eddy asked grumpily, appearing for only a few seconds before switching to the living room's security feed to show that Adam had fallen asleep on Bree, who was snoring, and that Leo had fallen asleep on Tasha, who was still awake. All of them had taken up the whole couch, and Davenport felt sorry to wake them up, but they needed to hear what he had found.

"Yes, Eddy." Eddy disappeared only to reappear a few seconds later.

"Boy, was that fun," he said gleefully before the screen went black. About half a minute later, the elevator dinged, and the rest of the family tumbled in, looking absolutely sleep deprived.

"Mr. Davenport, how's Chase?" asked Bree worriedly.

"Yeah, about that," he said hesitantly, rubbing his neck before walking towards the data pad he left on the workbench. After taking it in his hands, he turned to look at his family with a sad expression on his face. They took cautious steps forward as he mustered up the courage to tell them. "Guys, it's not good." He went over to the screen he had previously visited and started explaining. "I isolated a high-pitched frequency, something that only Chase would pick up, and it wasn't an accident. I'm trying to trace the signal now, but so far, no luck."

"Do you have any idea who would do this?" asked Tasha, hugging herself for comfort. Davenport shook his head sadly.

"I have a lot of enemies, Tasha. But if I can find the device that did this, I should be able to narrow it down." Bree pursed her lips.

"Mr. Davenport, you never answered my question: _How is Chase?_" The inventor sighed and closed his eyes, knowing that he couldn't stall any longer.

"Chase is…" He let out a shuddering breath, his shoulders slumped and his heart heavy. "Chase is completely deaf." Everyone gasped and visibly paled. Davenport looked at them with saddened eyes. "…And I don't know if I will be able fix him."

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><p><strong>Sadly, another chapter comes to an end. *Sighs dramatically* <strong>

**Now, I know a lot of people have stories out there where Chase goes deaf, but I'm hoping this one will be different because of my purpose behind it. **

**Oh! And it's another cliffhanger. Sort of. Please don't hate me... At least, not right now. If you thought this was evil, just wait and see what I have in store for you, my faithful readers. *Cackles maniacally* **

**So long! Till we meet again next Saturday!**


	6. Chapter 5

**I'm baaaaack! Did ya miss me? Kidding. Anyway, here's chapter five. Hehehe, you'll definitely hate me at the end of this chapter. But just to let you know: Kill me, and you won't get chapter six. Or seven. Or eight, nine, ten, etc...**

**As always, I'm so thankful to anyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, or followed my story. Seriously, some of the reviews I got made me all warm and fuzzy inside. You guys rock!**

**On with chapter five!**

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><p>To Adam, it felt like his heart stopped. But then… wouldn't he be dead?<p>

"…What?" Bree asked unbelievingly. "Are you serious?"

"Why would I joke about something as big as this?" Davenport snapped. Bree visibly flinched back, and the inventor regretted sounding so harsh. "The damage done to Chase's ears was severe, and I don't know if I can repair his hearing."

Tasha stepped forward. "But, Donald, you're not a doctor. Maybe, though, you could make a device or something that could heal the damage and then take him to a specialist."

Davenport closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Honey, I would, but that kind of device could take months just to plan - not to mention build - and then I'd have to test it somehow, but if it doesn't work, it's back to square one. It could take a year or two, and I don't know how Chase would handle it."

"Yeah, um, about that last part," Leo said hesitantly. "How are we going to break it to Chase when he first wakes up? And you really should think fast, 'cause I think he's waking up - _right now_." Everyone turned to look at the teen lying on the gurney to see him lightly pulling at the restraints, his head tossing slightly as he struggled to consciousness, and the other people in the room held their breath.

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><p>The first thing he noticed when he came to was the silence. Should it be that quiet? And then he discerned that he couldn't move; he tried to pull his legs up, but they would only bend so far before something tugged at his ankles, and he could only do so much with his arms. Why couldn't he move? He lifted his eyelids, but the light of the room hurt his eyes, so he squinted them shut before opening them again, blinking several times to get accustomed to the lighting. But then everything else was fuzzy, yet he could still tell that he was looking at the lab's ceiling. What happened?<p>

A face loomed over his, and as his eyes tried to focus on the sudden closer object, he recognized Davenport's dark hair and concerned features. The adult's brown eyes bore into Chase's hazel, unfocused ones, but then the bionic noticed that the inventor's mouth was moving, speaking words that didn't reach his ears. His heart started to race and his eyes started to fill with panic, something Davenport hadn't wanted to see, but knew it was inevitable.

Donald placed a hand on Chase's chest to try to keep him from struggling too much, to keep him calm, but he soon ended up just trying to push the teen back down.

"Chase- Chase, you need to calm down! Please, just- just calmed down, okay? Chase-"

Davenport was cut off when Chase spoke. "Why can't I hear?" he said, his voice louder than it should've been because he couldn't even hear himself speak. "Mr. Davenport," he pleaded, looking up at his father-figure, lifting his head slightly off of the table as he strained against the restraints. "Why can't I hear?" Davenport visibly winced as Chase's tone bridged on a full blown panic attack. Under his hand, the inventor could feel the teen's heart beating wildly in his chest, faster than it should have been, and the poor kid started to hyperventilate.

Davenport turned to look over his shoulder. "Someone help me hold him down - _now_!" Adam rushed over and used a small amount of his super strength to pin Chase's shoulders to the gurney. Even Adam's usually bright yet confused eyes were solemn with understanding as he watched his baby brother try to fight down the panic and calm down, but the fear of not being able to hear was too strong, and all Adam could do was watch Chase struggle to breathe.

With Adam holding Chase down, Davenport slowly let go of the bionic's shoulders, just in case Adam didn't quite have him, but when he saw that Adam had a firm grip, Donald leaned more over Chase, grasped the teen's head in his hands, and forced Chase to look into his eyes.

"Chase, look at me. I need you to calm down. Just calmed down. It's going to be alright."

Even though Chase couldn't understand what he was saying, the firm calmness in the adult's eyes was enough to help him understand. A part of his logical self squirmed to the surface of his erratic brain, and he tried to calm down, his chest heaving as he took deep breaths, and his heart started to slow down. Davenport gave a relieved smile and nodded as a sign of reassurance.

"Good boy, Chase - that's perfect. Just keep breathing." When Chase lifted his left hand to pull at the cuff pointedly, Donald shook his head. "Sorry, but I can't let you go until you are absolutely calm." Chase leaned his head back on the pillow provided and groaned a little when he saw Davenport's negative reaction, still breathing deeply but not as bad as before and staring up at the ceiling, but when Davenport let go of his head, the teen looked to the side and saw the rest of his family standing worriedly off to the side. When he made eye contact with Bree, his sister gave him a tiny smile, and he gave a half-smile in return because that was all that he could muster at the moment. Leo gave a somber thumbs up, and Tasha smiled a warm, motherly smile that immediately helped calm him down. He suddenly had a thought that made his heart ache: _Who was his real mother?_

Davenport was suddenly leaning over him again, having come back from secretly taking some scans of the youngest bionic, and started to unbuckle Chase once he was certain that the teen was as calm as he was going to be in a situation as this. Adam had let go of Chase's shoulders when Davenport had left, but he stood to the side just in case he was needed again. As soon as his wrists were free, Chase had sat up eagerly, and when his ankles were free, he swung his legs over the side of the gurney, noticing that it was the same one Davenport had used with Leo, unable to lay still any longer. But before anyone could stop him, Chase slid off to stand on the floor, and nearly fell on his face for the second time in less than twenty-four hours; he very likely would have if Davenport hadn't caught him - again.

Chase looked at Davenport with slight smirk. "We really have to stop meeting like this." Davenport chuckled, the sound literally falling on deaf ears, and helped Chase to stand up. "So, anyone care to explain why I can't hear?" No one would meet his gaze, and he crossed his arms in annoyance.

Davenport got a pad of paper and used a sharpie to write on it. _What do you remember?_ was written on it in bold, black letters.

"Well, there was a super sharp noise that nearly split my brain in half and left me deaf. Is that what you're talking about?" Davenport nodded gravely, shrugging off the teen's heavy sarcasm.

_ Chase, I don't know if I can repair your hearing._ The bionic's heart seemed to stop working like Adam's seemed to when he heard the news.

"What?" he gasped, his chest tightening up again, and he forgot how to breathe.

Davenport gripped his shoulders and once again forced the teen to look at him. "Chase, I am going to do all that I can to get your hearing back, I _promise_. But you need to stay with us, kid. You understand? Chase, _breathe_." With a firm shake of his shoulders, which are sure to be bruised by now, from Davenport, Chase took a staggering breath and raised a hand to run through his hair.

"Isn't there anything you can do in the meantime?" he asked worriedly.

Davenport thought for a moment, before writing and saying, "I could download an app into your chip that will allow you to read lips, but I'm afraid that's all I can do right now." Davenport paused before saying, and not writing, "Chase'll have to be taken off missions until he gets his hearing restored… or until he gets used to being deaf." Everyone's faces became downcast except for Adam's, whose face was confused.

He raised his hand before speaking. "Wait… Mr. Davenport, then does that mean I get to be mission leader?" Everyone besides Chase, who had a feeling that what Davenport hadn't written down wasn't good, groaned at Adam's single-mindedness.

Donald hesitated to say what he had to say next, but proceeded anyway. "And that means that Chase will also have to stay home from school." Bree and Leo wanted to argue, but the inventor never gave them a chance. "With Chase unable to hear, I can't risk his bionics glitching because someone walked up to him without him knowing and tapping him on the shoulder. Plus… It also makes him a bigger target for bullying." But by the time Davenport finished speaking, Chase had had enough of being left in the dark.

"Hey!" he complained. "There's still a deaf person over here!"

When the rest of the family turned to look at Chase, Eddy appeared and started talking in his very annoying voice. "Does this mean I can do this? Hey, short fry! Did you know that you're so small that ants could carry you? And-"

"Eddy!" Everyone, besides Chase, of course, snapped simultaneously.

"Just because he can't hear you doesn't mean that we can't," Bree replied, putting her hands on her hips and glaring through her eyelashes at the computerized home system.

"But you're not wrong, though," Adam said to Eddy with a slight grin on his face as he imagined tiny ants picking up his brother and carrying him off. His daydream was interrupted, however, when Leo elbowed him in the ribs. Chase crossed his arms, a sour look on his face.

"Ahem," he said, trying to get the others' attention again.

Davenport looked to Chase again and shook his head to get refocused. "Sorry, Chase." He laid a hand on Chase's shoulder and guided him over to the counter before the bionics' capsules. "Now, if you people would please excuse us," he said to Tasha and the rest of the kids, "I would like to do this next part with Chase, alone, as it would give me a chance to work with him and the lip reading thing."

"Aww, Mr. D., do we have to?" whined Adam. "I want to be the first one to test out the new app." He elbowed Leo softly, grinning. "I totally would have told him what Eddy said." Leo and Bree just glared, tired and annoyed. Davenport frowned.

"No, Adam. I think that now isn't the right time to tell Chase that. Now, up to bed with you all; you're already up way past bedtime and school's tomorrow." The inventor shooed the kids upstairs, Chase remaining behind with an uncertain look on his face, leaning heavily on his right foot, and sticking his hands in his front pockets. Tasha put a hand on Davenport's chest while rubbing his arm comfortingly.

"Everything's going to turn out fine, Donald." Her husband gave a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Thanks, honey." Davenport turned when Tasha brushed past him to go over to Chase. He watched as she gave him a hug, one that the teen hesitantly returned, melting into the embrace before they pulled apart. As Tasha ran a hand through Chase's hair in a way that only a mother could, no doubt offering as much solace as she could without words, Davenport realized with a pang of his heart that the bionic teens never really did get to know their real mother… Shaking himself, he pulled away from his thoughts just in time to see Tasha pull away from Chase to go upstairs. Davenport came over to Chase and wrote down on the paper.

_ I'm going to upload that app onto your chip now, and when we're done, we're gonna take a while to help you adjust. You ready?_ Davenport looked up after he finished writing and gave the pad to Chase, studying the bionic's expression, and when he was done, Chase looked up at his father, uncertainty reflected in his eyes, but his expression soon hardened into determination.

And he nodded.

* * *

><p>Chase had never been so exhausted as he was when he got up with Bree and Adam for school, but during the whole time during breakfast, Leo and his two siblings kept glancing at him, and he couldn't figure out why. Whenever he asked, they always said the same thing: "Oh, we just wanted to know how you were doing," but he could tell that they were lying, even if he couldn't hear them.<p>

The lip reading app was amazing. He and Davenport had worked until three in the morning just getting used to being deaf (although, truthfully, he'll never be used to the silence) and practicing keeping his bionics and reflexes in check if anyone ever came up unnoticed tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention, but he still had a way to go; once Davenport had made sure that Chase could now lip read without a problem, the inventor had sent the youngest bionic to sleep in his bedroom upstairs since everyone else was up there. It was weird - sleeping in a bed for longer than a catnap, that is.

But now, as Chase went downstairs to get his bag for school, he couldn't help but think back to the night when Davenport was talking to the others with a grave look on his face, not bothering to write down what he was saying. Had the inventor said something to them that he was too scared to tell him? His thoughts were confirmed when he was stopped by Davenport in the living room.

Adam, Bree, and Leo had just left out the front door, school bags slung over their shoulders, and Chase was about to follow after them when Davenport stepped in his way, hands held up in yielding gesture. "I'm sorry, Chase," he said, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "I can't let you go to school today."

"What? Why can't I?"

"You know exactly why, Chase."

The bionic's mouth gaped, his hurt and bewildered expression open for the adult to see. "But- I… I thought it would be okay since I did pretty good last night."

"Chase, it's still too risky to send you to school or on missions. We'll keep training until I'm convinced that you won't glitch every time you get surprised, but for now, you're to stay here. Tasha and I are going to drop off Adam, Bree, and Leo at school, and then I'm going to drive Tasha to work before I have to go to a meeting with several buyers that are interested in some of my inventions. _Stay put_ until we get home," Davenport warned, backing up slowly, keeping his eyes on Chase, when he suddenly tripped on the corner of the couch. Chase watched with unamused eyes as Davenport waved his arms to keep his balance, and when he did he paused before giving a single nod and continuing his suspicious backwards walk out the door.

When it clicked shut, Chase sighed and tossed his messenger bag on the couch before trudging down to the lab. He tiredly plopped down into Davenport's computer chair and started to spin in a bored fashion. Tiring of spinning, Chase got up three minutes later and started fiddling with some of Mr. Davenport's new toys. After almost burning his hair off, Chase finally put down the machine he was playing with, and it was only then that he noticed one of the screens in the counters was flashing green.

Curious, the teen leaned over to get a better look. _Signal trace: Complete_. Davenport had filled him in on what he knew - that a device was used to target the bionic's hearing, and he was trying to pinpoint where signal came from. The place of origin was revealed right there on that screen, and Chase tilted his head as he weighed his options. Davenport was gone, having probably dropped off his siblings and Tasha by now. Chase supposed he could call up Bree and ask for Adam's and her help, but he decided that this was a perfect opportunity to prove himself to his family. Smirking, Chase hurried to get suited up.

* * *

><p>The device's signal came from an abandoned warehouse near the edge of Mission Creek. Chase stood before the looming structure, one of Davenport's fancy sport cars sitting motionless behind him (honestly, it wasn't hard to hijack the car and drive it with his super smarts). Swallowing, the teen pushed down his nervousness and steeled himself for what ever was to come; as soon as he entered, he could immediately tell something was off.<p>

The device was sitting in plain sight on a simple folding table with a spotlight shining down on it, and the abandoned warehouse lived up to its name. The entire building, as big as two football fields, was _absolutely empty_ except for the table and its decoration.

Chase slowly walked forward, turning in circles, stepping silently and crossing his legs before twisting around, almost like a sort of dance, like Davenport instructed - keeping aware of your surroundings. The silence in his head made his heart ache painfully, and he realized just how dependent he was on his hearing, but then he reached the table and the device sitting upon it and all previous thoughts were dispelled so that he could focus on the object.

Several buttons and knobs adorned the mechanism shaped like a tiny tower. There was a single screen sort of like on alarm clocks, but Chase guessed that the screen was for displaying the stats of the appliance.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and Chase froze, his heart pounding, and his eyes slowly pulled themselves away from the device to look up at the exit, but he doubted he could make a break for it without knowing who was behind him. So, the only logical thing to do next was to turn, ever so carefully, around and face the threat, and he wasn't surprised when he saw four men clad in black, leather suits, their faces concealed by ninja-like masks. Immediately, Chase fell into a defensive position, bringing his hands up to his face while spreading his feet apart and bending his knees. The ninjas copied him, and for a full minute no one moved, but when the minute was up, the ninjas raced forward with cries of aggression, and Chase braced himself.

* * *

><p>Normally, Bree wasn't afraid to speak up, to speak what was on her mind, but ever since the night before, nothing had been <em>normal<em>, and so when Chase came upstairs from the lab that morning, fully expecting to be able to go to school like the rest of them, she couldn't find the heart to tell him that he couldn't go. And judging by the way neither Adam nor Leo had spoken up, she could tell they felt the same way, so they sat in silence, glancing at the youngest bionic in concern, but Chase eventually figured out that something was up (stupid genius mind of his, but then again, it didn't take a rocket scientist to tell something was wrong). When he asked them about it, they lied through their teeth, but none of them, even the silver-tongued Leo, sounded very convincing - last night had knocked them off their rockers, and they had yet to climb back on.

When the three teens got to school, they vowed to find those two bullies and teach them a lesson, but when they searched the school, Slim Girl and Steroid Boy were nowhere to be found, including Leo's new "senior friends". If that didn't put her on edge, then Bree didn't know what would. Throughout her first period class, she could barely concentrate on her work, worry for her brother and unease at the missing students made her stomach churn, so she finally took out her phone between first period and second, and she tried calling home, but Chase didn't answer.

_ "You have reached the extremely handsome and awesome Donald Davenport, billionaire inventor and secret superhero in disguise. I can't answer you right now because either (A_-_ I'm too awesome, (B_-_ I'm inventing something extremely cool, (C_-_ I don't like you, or (D_-_ I'm out saving the world with my amazing powers. So, leave a message at the beep. BEEEEEEEEEP!"_

Bree rolled her eyes at the recording but spoke anyway. "Hey, Chase, it's me-" she broke off, eyes wide at her mistake. Her brother wouldn't be able to hear the phone, much less the answering machine, so she hung up, put her phone away, and super-speeded home, but when she combed through the entire house, her little brother was nowhere to be found. Stopping in the lab, she put her hands on her hips and bit her lip, trying to think where Chase would go, but Davenport had told them that he had left Chase with specific instructions _not_ to leave the house.

Chase could be an annoying little brother, a terrible secret-keeper, and a snitch, but he almost never disobeyed Davenport of his own will, and Bree and Adam had to corner him into disobeying the rules. Yet lately, ever since Davenport allowed them to leave the lab, Bree noticed that Chase was developing his own will and growing out of the nïave teenager stage into the rebellious, cunning stage. She wouldn't put it past Chase for him to leave the house just to prove that he _could_ and still be okay, but then that worried feeling came crashing back and she glanced around the lab until her eyes fell on a certain screen in the counter and her mouth fell open in shock.

_ No…_ she gasped in her head. _He wouldn't…_

But a tiny little voice inside her head whispered back, _He would. And he did._

Bree made a choking sound before speeding off to school to get Adam and Leo. She briefly considered getting Mr. Davenport, but she dismissed the idea since it would take far too long, and who knows what trouble Chase had gotten himself into now.

By the time she got to Mission Creek High, her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, and the bell signaling the start for second period just rang as she sped through the double doors and into the school. Not wasting time, she grabbed Adam from his class first without explaining and then swiped Leo away from a girl he was hanging out with in the hall. She ignored Leo's cries of protest and Adam's whoops of excitement and headed back for Davenport's house. Only when she was in the lab did Bree stop running and set Adam and Leo down.

"What was that for?" Leo asked indignantly, shouldering his backpack. "Wendy finally decided that I'm actually worth her time."

"Yeah," Adam said, grinning. "I was just about to learn how to solve puzzles with numbers and letters."

"So, Bree," Leo asked suspiciously. "What's so important that you kidnapped us?" Adam interrupted before Bree could answer.

"Hey, where's Chase?" As Leo looked around, finally noticing that the youngest bionic wasn't there, Bree threw her hands out and finally spoke.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, but you wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise!" She let her arms fall limp to her sides and stared at her brothers seriously. "I think… I think Chase might be in trouble…"

"What?" Leo exclaimed. "Where is he?" Bree moved around to the counter where the screen was still blinking.

"Remember when Davenport said that he was trying to trace the signal of the machine that hurt Chase?" When Adam and Leo nodded, Bree continued. "Well, I came home quick just to check on Chase, but when I got here, he wasn't anywhere in the house. Then I saw this-" she waved her hand at the screen and Leo and Adam came to stand behind her to look over her shoulder "-and I immediately knew where he went."

"It says… Hitman's Road," read Adam. "Wait, does that mean that a hit man lives on that road?"

"No, Adam. They probably just named the road after some weird guy," corrected Leo. "So, what do we do?" he asked Bree.

"I suggest we go there and back up Chase," she said quietly. That little voice was back, and it verbalized unhelpfully, _If it's not too late._ But then she shook herself, angry that the thought even popped into her head.

"Shouldn't we get Mr. Davenport?" Adam questioned.

Bree frowned and shook her head. "No. We're wasting time as it is just standing here and talking. If we got Davenport, he'd probably make us wait until we had a plan."

"But we don't," stated Adam, who had his brow furrowed in confusion.

Bree shook her head. "Yes, we do." She glanced at each of her brothers before saying, "We're going to save Chase."

* * *

><p>When they got to the warehouse, they first noticed one of Davenport's cars parked out front, which confirmed their suspicions.<p>

Leo, who had demanded to come along and was dressed in an XXXS mission suit, said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the car, "We should probably take that back when we're done." Bree and Adam nodded in agreement before they led the way into the building. Leo ran into Adam, who had stopped abruptly just inside the doorway, as did Bree. Pushing between the two, Leo squirmed to see what had caught their attention but froze when he did.

The enormous warehouse was bare, not even a piece of garbage remained - except for the table in the middle of the structure with a note on it, of course. Surprisingly, Adam was the first one to reach the table, and he unfolded the paper, scanning the words. By the time Leo and Bree reached him, Adam had already finished reading the note. His face was downcast, and he looked at his siblings, minus one, with uncharacteristically mature eyes.

"Guys, I think Chase is in some serious doo doo."

* * *

><p><strong>MUWAHAHAHAHAHA! Hate me all you want; it won't change the fact that I'm not sorry for leaving you on yet <em>another<em> cliffhanger. Hehehe. As always, please let me know what you think. I love feedback!**


	7. Chapter 6

**I really don't have much to say, so here's a very short chapter six.**

* * *

><p><em>To Donald Davenport and his family:<em>

_ From recent events, you've probably come to the conclusion that there's more going on here than meets the eye. _

_ The previous night, the attack on your precious bionic was obvious. And if you're reading this, it means that you've traced the signal of the sonic pitch emitter, one of my smaller, but effective machines. However, if you_ are _reading this, it also means that I now have Chase Davenport in my possession. _

_ Oh! How easy it was to arrange for some buyers to keep the infamous _Mr. Donald Davenport_ busy and a top story to distract the new wife, Tasha _-_ lovely name, by the way. You'd think that leaving a poor, young, not to mention recently deaf, boy alone would be careless, especially with some sort of psychopath targeting him, but look how simple was. Goes to show how much you value family, eh, Donald? Remember that incident fourteen years ago? Of course you do, but do your "children" know? Think about it, Duck, because, like a smart person once said, "The dominoes are falling, and there's nothing you can do to stop it." _

_ Now, there are several things I wish to address in this letter, but they can wait for later. I will say this: I focused on Chase for a reason _-_ he was your favorite, right, Donald? I can imagine why _-_ you should have seen him fight the men I sent to take him, Donald; you would have been so proud. And he was the center of the family, the youngest for fifteen years before the clumsy brat moved in, so, of course there would be plenty of emotional ties centered around him. Simply take away the foundation and the whole house falls apart. Chase was, indeed, that foundation, whether you realized it or not._

_ Tell me, Donald, how does it feel to be so powerless? I've erased all traces of me in this building and on this note. Not even the craftiest toys you create could find me, Duck, cause I have _far_ more awesome machines than you. So, how does it feel to know that a loved one is out there, scared and alone, and there isn't a _single thing_ you can do about it? _

_ I may sound cruel, which you know I can be, but I promise you: I, along with my men, will not hurt a single hair on Chase's head _-_ you have my word. The boy is currently sleeping peacefully in his new living quarters, unaware of the terrible time ahead. He looks so innocent when he's asleep, doesn't he, Donald? Still such a child at heart. Too bad that he's going to have to grow up soon. Despite all that you've taught them, Davenport, you never showed them the harsh realities of the world. _

_ By now, you've probably figured out who I am, Davenport. You know what I'm capable of. My two helpers have vowed to break your precious golden boy in a month, and I have granted them this request. But you have my word that you will get him back, just… not all of him._

_ My plan will become clear soon enough, Davenport family, and there's nothing you can do to surprise me. Davenport, you brought this upon yourself fourteen years ago. If there's anyone to blame, it's you._

_ Remember, a month from now, Chase will be safely returned to you at this very same warehouse at exactly 12:00 P.M. _

_ Sincerely,_

* * *

><p><strong>So, how was that? Oh, and please enjoy the two-week wait. *Evil laughter* Why? 'Cause I can. <strong>


	8. Chapter 7

**Did y'all enjoy your two weeks of waiting? Probably not, but I sure did. Jk. Actually, it's a good thing I did two weeks because last Friday-Saturday I was helping out at a camp retreat and by the time I got home, I did _not_ want to do anything - I was so tired. **

**Thanks, everyone, for all your reviews. I'm sorry that I don't reply personally to them, but I'm hoping to get better at that. Also, thanks to people who favorited, followed, or just simply read my story. You guys rock and it never ceases to amaze me at how many people are actually reading my story. **

**Anyway, here's chapter seven.**

* * *

><p>What did you see out there, my lad,<p>

That has set that look in your eyes?

You went out a boy, you have come back a man,

With strange new depths underneath your tan.

What was it you saw out there, my lad,

That set such deeps in your eyes?

-John Oxenham, _Face To Face With Reality_

* * *

><p><em> Exactly one month later…<em>

They hadn't realized how much they needed him until he was no longer there, lost somewhere out in the big world and nothing they did got them any closer to finding him. The children asked and asked and _asked_ about the incident fourteen years ago, who the psychopath was, and how he knew them, but their creator, their father, clammed up so tight that everything they probed simply bounced off of his shell.

The month felt like a year, every second ticking by ever so slowly. The first week of his absence had them frantically going over every piece of data they had, every single thing they knew, but none of it did any good. During the second week, they drifted apart, one by one, finding refuge in their separate ways, each suffering in silence, the place in their hearts that he had occupied now ached painfully in their chests. But as the third week came, hope started to bubble in their stomachs like burning acid, and before they knew it, they were a family once more when the day arrived - the day they would get him, their foundation, back.

Adam, Bree, and Davenport were dressed in their mission suits, and they said nothing as they checked their gear, the last minute preparations. Going upstairs, where Tasha and Leo waited for them, they said quiet good-byes with small hugs. Tasha grabbed her husband's arm before he could walk away, and she said firmly, "Bring him back, Donald. Whatever it takes." The inventor's dark eyes were solemn, but he nodded with an empty smile before following Bree and Adam out the door. Tasha wrapped an arm around Leo's shoulders, holding him close as they were left standing in the empty house.

* * *

><p>The whole car ride to the warehouse was spent in silence, and it seemed to stretch on for eternity. Their hearts pounded, and even Adam was rendered mute. When they reached the building, arriving at exactly 11:59 A.M., they shared nervous looks before walking to the entrance.<p>

Bree's hand shook violently as she reached out to grab the doorknob, but the sweat on her palms made it impossible to turn it, even with both hands, and her lip quivered at her weakness. Adam took her wrists with gentleness achieved only by a brother to a sister, and squeezed them reassuringly. Bree sniffed, a stray tear slipping down her face as she stared at their hands, unable to face Adam's concerned and understanding face, but she nodded slightly, a sign to show that she was ready. Adam let go of her hands and opened the door; Davenport went in first, followed by Bree, and lastly Adam.

The warehouse was pitch black inside, but as soon as the door closed behind them, the lights overhead switched on row by row, gradually lighting up the building. As the building lit up section by section, their hearts sank when Chase was nowhere to be found, but when the last row of lights lit up, they revealed a person leaning against the far wall. Davenport glanced at his watch.

12:00 P.M.

Looking back again, the inventor tried to make out the features of the person, his heart beating wildly in his chest. _Could it be Chase?_ It had to be, but the figure wore black clothes that had allowed him to blend in while the lights had flickered on; however, if it was Chase, Davenport thought he would be so relieved to see them as they were to see him.

"Hey!" he called out to the mysterious person, his voice echoing around the structure. "Who are you?" The three waited anxiously, and after a few tense seconds, the figure stirred and looked up. They couldn't see his face, but something inside of Bree resounded like a drum, and she knew in her heart that it was her baby brother standing on the other side of the building. She raced away from the others, traveling across the vast distance in nanoseconds, stopping only when she got within ten feet of Chase, and when she did, she raised a hand to her mouth in immense joy.

"Chase!" she gasped, her chest contracting painfully and a lump forming in her throat as tears spilled down her face. "Oh, Chase!" She ran (normal style), Chase closing the distance, and she leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms around him as tight as she could and tucking her face into the crook of his neck. Chase copied, holding her close and burying his face in her hair, and breathed in the scent of his sister - strawberries. "_I've missed you so much!_" she sobbed into his shirt, squeezing harder.

Chase's shoulders shook violently as he silently cried into Bree's hair, finally feeling loved and needed, and he craved the feeling of security that his older sister gave him. The days of psychological torture, dark and forlorn, threatened to surface in his mind, but he squeezed his eyes shut and held Bree tighter, fighting the unwanted memories. Bree, of course, noticed this and finally, reluctantly pulled away and took a good look at her younger brother, and the color drained from her face from what she saw.

His eyes were shadowed with dark rings under his eyes from the lack of either sleep or stress, she couldn't tell. Chase's expression looked haunted, and his eyes were wary and guarded, as if he was preparing for some sort of negative reaction. His features, normally lean, were gaunt with hollowed-out cheek bones, and the clothes he was wearing were a size too big. And the last visible change affected by his capture was his hair, normally healthy and rich in color but now dull and lifeless. But there was something else… Something was missing.

Chase squirmed under her stare, his sullen eyes flicking away to avoid her gaze, and it finally clicked for Bree. With growing horror, she realized that her brother's spirit was broken, and she noticed the light that was normally in his eyes was gone, suffocated, but she had to hope that there was still a tiny flame hidden deep in his heart, a small, burning ember locked away from the world struggling to put it out.

She reached out a hand to touch his face, but stopping short as she struggled for words. "_Chase…_ What did they do to you?" She was so surprised when his expression hardened instantly, she could practically see the walls slamming into place, and she visibly winced, pulling her hand back.

"Nothing," he spat, an obvious lie. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm _fine_." Bree took a step back in shock, and as she did, she saw remorse flash briefly in his eyes. But that did not disguise the fact that his behavior was so _not him_.

"How can you say that?" she gasped, anger suddenly flaring that he couldn't even confide in his sister. "We were worried _sick_ about you. We searched as hard as we could to find you-"

"Yet, you didn't find me," he muttered bitterly.

"-but there was nothing to go on! We went over everything we had _ten freaking times_! So how can you say that I don't need to worry about you? Don't I, your _sister_, deserve to know what happened to my baby brother?" Chase ducked his head away, but she carried on, all her frustration collected over the past three weeks finally finding an outlet, but she was too wrapped up to notice that Chase was at the receiving end when he had already been through enough. "I wondered every night and day if my brother was alright, what was happening to him right now, what was he thinking when we didn't come to his aid the first few days, and then the first week, the second. Did he even have any hope left by the third week? All of those unanswered questions tore me - all of us - apart. Do you even know what it was like without you? So, how can you just push us away when we deserve some _answers_?" She paused in her rant, finally spotting the pent-up anger flaring up in Chase's eyes, and she knew immediately that she shouldn't have said what she did. Neither of them had noticed that Adam and Mr. Davenport had caught up, winded, and stunned by Bree's outburst to even announced their presence or greet Chase.

"You," Chase seethed out between clenched teeth, his gaze uncharacteristically murderous, "have _no_ idea what it was like-"

Bree cut him off, her voice pleading. "Then tell us! Why won't you tell us?!"

"Because!" Chase shouted, fed up with all of the questions that threatened to bring the last month to mind. Everyone else's eyes widened in disbelief. "Because, everything that I went through… I couldn't pass that burden to you. It's not yours to carry."

Bree's eyes flashed dangerously, opening her mouth to retort, but Davenport stepped in, blocking their view of each other. "Enough," he sternly, first turning to glare at Bree, then facing Chase, but his eyes softened almost immediately when they landed on his youngest bionic son. He reached out and grasped Chase's shoulders; Chase looked up, his eyes flickering between blankness and faint happiness, and the two stared at each other before Donald pulled his son into the biggest hug he had ever given. Davenport felt Chase's arms wrap around him, and the inventor fisted his hands into Chase's shirt, relieved to actually have his son back.

But something kept pushing at the back of his mind. _But you have my word that you will get him back, just… not all of him._ That's what the letter had said, and it promised not to hurt Chase, but, while it was true and nothing seemed physically wrong with Chase except for the fact that he was a little bony (which Donald did frown at), there was something different, something wrong. When Davenport closed his eyes and thought back to when he stared at the bionic, he came to the very same conclusion as Bree. His heart boiled with rage, and he held Chase closer, unwilling to let go.

"_I'm so sorry, Chase_," he whispered. He felt Chase stiffen, and pulled away in concern.

Chase's eyes betrayed nothing when he said, "It's okay, Mr. Davenport. I get it." But his voice wavered slightly, not gone unnoticed by his father, but Davenport couldn't tell what emotion caused it. And then realization dawned on Donald's face.

"Chase," he exhaled. "You can hear." Bree's mouth dropped, only then apprehending that she had been in a two-sided argument with her brother just two minutes before. And Adam just smiled because he was speechless, which was highly unusual. Yet, Chase's face darkened fleetingly before his mask slipped back into place, nodding.

Davenport smiled, genuinely thrilled beyond compare, and paused, studying his son like a father would, before saying, "Well, I think it's time we got you home. There's people who can't wait to see you." Adam wrapped an arm around Chase's shoulders, pulling him close much like he did that peaceful night when they left the restaurant, but it felt like a lifetime ago after all that's happened.

"It's good to have you back, little bro," Adam declared. And the faintest, _faintest_ smile graced Chase's lips.

"It's good to be back."

* * *

><p>Tasha stood up from her sitting position on the couch and Leo stopped his pacing when they heard Davenport's car pull into the driveway. Leo went to his mom and they stood together, facing the door while they held their breaths. The seconds stretched on, but finally they saw the front door's handle turn and the door was pushed open. Bree came in first, her expression grim, and she was followed by Adam who wore a blank look. Davenport came in last, and when Tasha saw him, she felt her heart beat wildly at his solemn look.<p>

"Donald?" she gasped, feeling dread settle in her stomach, but then the three arrivals' faces broke into wide smiles unlike anything she'd ever seen in the past month, and then Chase walked in, a small grin on his face. She was pretty sure her shriek of joy could have been heard throughout the whole house, but she didn't care as she ran to Chase and wrapped him in the biggest hug she had ever given any of the bionics. Chase returned the hug wholeheartedly, and she laughed as tears fell from her eyes, and she looked to the ceiling mouthing "thank you" over and over.

Leo came over, about to say something to Chase when he saw how hard his mother was squeezing. "Geez, Mom. Squeeze a little harder and see if he'll pop." Tasha pulled away, wiping at the water on her face while apologizing breathlessly, still so elated. Leo and Chase made eye contact and the former grinned, giving a small wave. "Hey, Chase." Chase took the steps needed to close the gap between him and Leo before hugging Leo, too.

"Hi, Leo," he greeted back. Tasha's gasp could be heard as Leo pulled back in surprise. "You can hear us?"

Chase smirked, but the humor didn't show in his eyes. "Yup. One hundred percent restored. You know, it's actually reassuring to hear your squeaky, little voice." Leo smiled.

"Sweet!" he exclaimed, but then the rest of Chase's words registered and his excitement was replaced with indignation. "Hey!" The others giggled, but then Tasha spoke up next, drawing the attention away from the two youngest teens.

"Man, it's so good to have you back and then your hearing is back and you're not hurt and- and it's all… so overwhelming." Tasha sat down heavily on the couch, Davenport rushing to her aide. Chase was watching his parents, shadowed eyes unaware of the bright ones trained on him. Leo took notice of Chase's weight loss and frowned slightly before coming up with an idea.

"Chase." The youngest bionic turned to Leo with a raised eyebrow. "Do you want to grab something to eat?" Chase shook his head.

"No thanks, Leo. I just want to take a shower." Leo hid his surprise, thinking that the teen must be starving, but he just shrugged.

"Okay, man. We'll be right here." He didn't know why he said that, because words like that were never his strong point, but they came instinctively and he didn't regret saying them. Chase nodded and brushed past Bree and Adam to head upstairs. Chase walked through the hall with nostalgia, seeing the familiar places, and when he came to his room, he paused in the doorway as his empty eyes traveled over the surroundings. He ached with homesickness, which was stupid now that he was home, but he supposed that he wasn't just longing for home, but also the happy memories and times that came with it. With sudden urgency, he crossed the room to his dresser where he pulled out a flannel shirt, a regular shirt, and a pair of jeans before dashing out and into the bathroom; he shut the door, locking it before he leaned his back against it and sliding down till he sat on the floor where he was _finally_ allowed to cry without having insults thrown at him. He clamped a hand over his mouth the stop the whines that threatened to escape. He couldn't believe that the nightmare was over, at long last. Before he could stop himself, memories from the month of his captivity flashed through his mind, and he gasped, jerking his head and closing his eyes tight as if they had caused physical pain, which they kind of did because his subconscious had been working very hard to repress that dark time.

Chase grabbed his head as the memories burned behind his eyelids. He leaned his head back until it rested on the door, and he cried while he suffered alone, his family so close yet something held him back from calling out to them. So instead, he got up and started the shower, the first one in a month, but he didn't even look or smell dirty, surprisingly. The teen guessed bitterly that the guy who kidnapped him had slipped something into his drink or food that prevented his body from creating foul odors, the guy being a billionaire inventor, like Chase's own father, and all.

Half an hour later, Chase got out of the shower, feeling clean and comfortable after he changed into his regular clothes: jeans, t-shirt, an unbuttoned, plaid shirt over the tee, and his worn sneakers. Chase bundled the dark clothes he had been forced to wear and tossed them into the garbage with disgust. He stood in the hallway with a straight back as he soaked in the feeling of being home; his shoulders heaved as he took a deep breath, and then they sagged when the air in his lungs left in a rush. While being reunited with his family helped to lighten a small percentage of the burden on his heart, it still felt heavy and oppressed, probably an expected feeling for one who hid their heart and trapped their feelings behind a fortress wall. Chase's head turned in the direction of the stairs where he could here the voices of his family traveling from the living room.

A small smile graced his lips, but it faded soon after. However, he did head back downstairs to join his family, and as he descended the steps he saw that everyone's eyes were on him. Reaching the bottom, he came to stand between Adam and Mr. Davenport. As the others continued to stare at him, he shifted nervously. "So… Did Leo blow up anything while I was gone?" Tasha, Adam, Bree, and Davenport burst into laughter while Leo crossed his arms indignantly.

"Hey!"

Mr. Davenport brought Chase close with an arm wrapped around the young bionic's shoulders.

Tasha clasped her hands under her chin as she stared at Chase. "It's _so_ good to have you back, Chase." The teen shrugged, half smiling.

"The feeling's mutual," he said.

Bree smiled, but she made another assessment of her brother. He looked so grown up, but not the good kind - this maturity was caused by knowledge of things that are usually ignored so spirits can live light. She was determined to find out what exactly happened to Chase, but she knew that right now was not the time to push. But when the time is right, she _will_ push, and she'll push _hard_.

* * *

><p>Bree, Leo, Adam, and Tasha were upstairs doing their own things while Chase and Davenport went down to the lab because the inventor wanted to make a full evaluation of the bionic.<p>

"Stand up straight, Chase," Davenport instructed as he held a new invention of his: a portable x-ray machine (one that not only does bones but muscles, too!) that instantly scans the person head to toe, and shows the results on the screen between the handles, along with several other stats like the health of the person being scanned. Overall, this machine could really help advances in the medical field.

Chase was muttering under his breath but he complied anyway, and Davenport pressed a button that activated the scanner. On the screen, Davenport saw Chase's bones being revealed as the beam traveled down his body. When the scan was complete, the adult studied the results.

_ Bone integrity: 100%_

Davenport pressed another button and the scan started again, showing the muscles.

_ Muscle integrity: 90%_

_ Warning: Malnourishment detected; procedural steps required_

Davenport frowned, but that was nothing new. He knew just from looking at Chase that his captors had underfed him. As long as he wasn't hurt physically, Davenport was happy. But it was the teen's mental health that he was worried about, and how that will affect his performance on missions or his ability to keep his glitches and bionics in check.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Davenport put aside the x-ray and said, "Okay, Chase. Go ahead and sit on the counter. Chase followed as instructed and sat hunched with his hands gripping the edge and his feet dangling in air. As his father rummaged around his lab for something, Chase watched with mild curiosity.

"Mr. Davenport, what are you looking for?" he asked with impatience lacing his tone.

The inventor exclaimed "Ha!" before whirling around with something clutched in his hand. "This!" he said, pointing to the object. While it was very futuristic, Chase identified it as an otoscope which is used for visual examination of the eardrum and the passage of the outer ear.

Chase eyed it warily. "Why do you need that?"

Donald explained as he walked forward. "Chase, the fact that you can hear again is nothing short of a miracle. I just have to see for myself." The teen frowned but he wasn't given a chance to say no since Davenport had already gently stuck the otoscope in his right ear. "Incredible," he breathed after a few seconds before he quickly moved to the other side, obviously finding the same results.

Stepping back, Davenport's eyes were wide with fascination. "You're eardrums are completely restored, along with the rest of the damaged tissue. I mean, the technology needed for a procedure that risky would take _years_ to come up with, and even then it would only be a prototype."

Chase's expression soured. "Well, I'm glad that you are so overjoyed with the work of my _kidnapper_. Maybe you two should get together and plan ways to destroy things just to fix them." Chase slid off the counter and pushed past the adult as Davenport struggled to find words to say. Chase had gotten halfway across the lab when Davenport's call stopped him.

"Chase, wait!" The teen didn't turn around, but he twisted his head to look over his shoulder out of the corner of his eye. His hands fisted at his sides and he stood stiffly, waiting.

"Chase, I'm so sorry. I should've re- I should've been more considerate. I can't imagine what you went through, but now's a perfect time than ever to help me understand." Davenport waited, but just when he thought Chase wasn't going to reply, the bionic spoke, yet he avoided the question.

Davenport was _not_ anticipating the words that came out of Chase's mouth.

"At one point - I don't even know when - he slipped up and mentioned something about my mom," he said in a quiet voice, unaware that the famous, billionaire inventor had paled like a ghost behind him. "And he said…" Chase faced Davenport, his normally bright, hazel eyes now hardened and cold. "And he said that it was _all your fault_."

Davenport felt the air escape him, and he was suddenly lightheaded. He sat down heavily in the stools by the island counter. Too many thoughts and fears raced through his brain.

_ Does he know? _

_ How much does he know? _

_ Why is this happening?_

"What did he mean by that, Mr. Davenport?" Chase asked accusingly, and as the inventor looked up at the youngest bionic, he was shocked at how much he looked like _him_, the only man he hated with all of his being.

"Chase, I-" he struggled for air as his world fell apart around him. And then a memory surfaced, one he had tried so hard to keep buried, but was so difficult when part of that memory lived on in the boy standing before him.

Wavy, brown locks of hair. Forgiving, hazel eyes that shown with mirth. A blinding smile that could light up the darkest room. And a laugh so bubbly that it was contagious. A sweet aroma that wrapped around her slender frame. Tan fingers strummed a guitar flawlessly, creating a wonderful sound that blended with the voice of an angel's.

Davenport pressed a hand to his eyes, squeezing his lids shut as he tried to force the image away, emotions that he had locked away for so long struggling to come to light. He knew he couldn't tell the truth, not now. He was desperate to keep his life-altering secret from his children for as long as he could. So he decided to twist it until it fit his purpose.

"Chase, do you know the name of the man who kidnapped you?" When the teen shook his head suspiciously, he continued. "His name is Harrison Garvy." Taking a deep breath, he mentally prepared himself before he plowed on with his story. "Harry and I were the best of friends back in the day. We did everything together: played games, studied, almost blew up houses with highly explosive experiments. For our entire lives up until high school we were tight, just like… brothers. But then your mother moved into town and came to our school."

Davenport paused with a dreamy expression on his face. "She was the prettiest girl on campus, and yet she was so humble, helping everyone with a smile on her face.

"Both Harrison and I had crushes on her, so you can see how that would become a problem. One day, she dropped her books all over the floor, but no one would help her pick them up, so I went over and collected them for her. She was grateful, and I walked her to her class. When we reached her destination, we chatted for, like, _two minutes_, but during that time, Harrison was stalking the halls for some unknown reason and he spotted us. He took our meeting the wrong way because, in his mind, he had called dibs. And that's where our rivalry began.

"Fast forward through high school, and your mother and I grew closer while Harry and I grew farther apart. Every chance he got, he made our lives miserable while at the same time trying to get her attention, but it was useless.

"Fast forward through life, and your mother and I are getting married. By now, Harry's hatred for me has consumed his heart and his creepy love for her has taken over his life. Before we knew it, Adam was born. Then Bree. Then you and-" Davenport froze, hoping his sudden slip up wasn't that noticeable. "But when you were born, there were… some complications with the procedure. Your birth was much more problematic than the first two, and the doctors couldn't figure out why. Your mom grew so weak that the doctors knew she wasn't going to last long." Davenport's face sobered greatly as he glanced at Chance who wore a frown, his own expression forlorn.

"She lived long enough to hold you and name you." For a few minutes, there was nothing but silence. Then Donald spoke again with a sigh. "When Harrison found out, he was enraged. He blamed me for her death, and he vowed revenge. At the time, I wasn't in my right mind, so I came up with this brilliant plan to hide you three in my basement, afraid that he would just walk in and snatch you guys away. Just before your mother died, I had discovered a way to advance humans with abilities by putting a special chip in their neck.

"Her death had affected me so much, Chase, so you have to understand that I when I gave you three your chips, all I could think about was making sure that one day you could save the world from men like Harrison: hate-filled and crazy. Because that's what your mom would have wanted. She would have wanted you three to be all that you could be, but my only mistake was keeping you guys locked down here, in this basement. She definitely wouldn't have wanted that, but I was so scared that Harry would take you away."

Davenport locked his eyes with Chase's as he said, "Harrison's back for his revenge, but we can't let that stop us. We have to be brave."

Chase let out a frustrated sigh and he turned away, anger bubbling up. "Mr. Davenport, how can I brave when-" The bionic was interrupted when red lights flashed and alarms blared throughout the lab. He looked around at the different screens that suddenly came to life. "What's going on?" he asked just as Bree, Adam, and Leo came running into the lab.

"This is insane!" the inventor shrieked as he darted to different screens, barely taking a glance before moving on to the next.

"What's insane?" Adam asked.

"There's an overload of illegal activity and malfunctioning machines that can destroy half of the planet or worse."

Leo looked utterly confused and disgusted. "Seriously, how many scientist could possibly be dumb enough to create unstable inventions?"

"Hey!" Davenport exclaimed. "Some of my inventions were unstable." At the teens' disapproving looks, he added, "Fine, most of them."

Leo crossed his arms and said, "I rest my case." Davenport scowled while the others smirked.

"Anyways, there's too many important missions to send you three together on each assignment. I'll have to split you up and give each of you lists of missions." While Davenport got to work, frantically scurrying around the lab, the three bionics got changed into their mission suits. As Chase pulled on his last glove, fully dressed in his suit, he realized just how _familiar_ it all was - as if he'd never been gone - but yet, it felt strange - to actually be back among his family, going on missions. He checked his gear again, and then followed Bree and Adam back out to the lab.

Davenport was waiting for them, with three pieces of paper in his hand. "I've written down the addresses you need to go to, and here are your comms. so I can talk you through it." The teens put the communication devices in their ears as they studied the lists Davenport gave to each of them. "You three will have to take my self-driving cars. Just type in the addresses." Bree looked up.

"But, Mr. Davenport, I don't need to take a car. With my super-speed, I can get to places far faster than any car." Davenport nodded.

"Go ahead, Bree. And I would suggest leaving now to get a head start." Bree gave a grim salute before disappearing in a flash. Davenport turned to Adam and Chase. "And you boys be careful. I'm not sure what to expect. I'll be watching your progress through the different camera feeds so I'll be able to help if needed." The adult took a deep breath as he placed his hands on his hips. "Get going." Adam and Chase nodded before leaving, but Davenport called Chase's name, causing to teen to stop while Adam left to get a car.

Chase turned around at Davenport's voice, and he was startled when Davenport walked over and enveloped the bionic in a giant bear hug. It took a few seconds, but eventually Chase wrapped his arms around his father and returned the hug.

"Be careful, Chase," the inventor whispered before pulling back. He noticed the hard look in Chase's eyes and his own filled with worry.

"I will," the teen promised before turning and vanishing out the door.

Leo came to stand next to the dark-haired man. "Everything will be okay, Big D. They'll make it."

Davenport just looked on with sad eyes because he wasn't so sure.

* * *

><p>Everyone has their crowning moment - that time where they finally get to prove themselves to the world, like when the hero fights the villain in the ultimate battle, saving the lives of millions. But moments like that usually come with great sacrifices; the hero must sacrifice the few to save the many, or sometimes, even his life.<p>

Chase was positive that this was probably one of those crowning moments, but he felt that it was all sacrifices instead of rewards.

"I've reached the first place, Mr. Davenport," he whispered.

_"Good. Proceed with caution."_

Leo's voice crackled in his ear. _"T__his place has some serious security. There's, like, guards at every door."_

"So what, exactly, is wrong here," Chase asked, scanning the building. Red lights flashed throughout the brick complex, and from his hiding place in the bushes across the parking lot, Chase could see through the windows that people in white coats were running around frantically, and others were spilling out of the front doors, screaming. Davenport responded.

_ "GHC was experimenting in nuclear energy, and one of their reactors somehow malfunctioned. If it blows, it'll take out the entire building, not to mention every living thing within twenty miles, and put radiation of massive amounts into the atmosphere which_-_"_

"Which would be very bad - I get it." Chase got up and skirted around the pavement to the shadow of the building.

_ "There's tiny windows near the ground that open into the basement of the building. Thankfully, you'll be able to get through them and we'll be able to lead you from there,"_ Davenport said.

"I don't know if I should be offended or relieved," the bionic retorted, but he broke the glass of the window before carefully slipping through the opening, gripping the edge of the sill before dropping down. He winced when the sound of crunching glass echoed loudly. "What next, Mr. Davenport?" he asked as he glanced around the room, filled with hundreds of various, priceless equipment but was devoid of any humans.

_ "Well, there should be stairs leading deeper underground. But watch out for_-_"_

Chase's attention was suddenly cut off from listening to Davenport.

_ Click._ Chase's heart stopped.

"Freeze."

* * *

><p>"Mommy!" screeched a little kid, somewhere within the building that was about to collapse.<p>

_ "Bree, be careful! The buildings stability is rapidly deteriorating!"_ Davenport warned in the teen's ear.

"No kidding! Now be quiet and let me concentrate!" Bree snapped.

"Mommy! Wake up!" the kid screamed from the next floor of the apartment complex that shook and grumbled and crumbled. Bree zoomed up the flight of stairs, and as she made her way to the wailing kid, she checked the rest of the rooms to make sure they were empty. Suddenly, a huge chunk of ceiling fell off and nearly hammered her head between her shoulders, but she yelped and jumped out of the way, sliding baseball style as the chunk crashed onto the floor.

Coughing from the dust, Bree shakily got to her feet before opening the next door to find a woman knocked out on the floor and a kid sobbing next to her, trying to wake her up. The kid, a boy about the age of nine, looked up with surprised eyes at Bree's arrival, but he instantly pleaded for her help.

Bree came to kneel at the mother's side and checked for injuries. Grimacing, Bree placed a finger to her ear comm. "Mr. Davenport, I have a woman here that has a pretty bad head injury."

_ "I'm sending an ambulance to your position now."_ There was a pause where Bree could hear Davenport move away and talk, probably viewing Adam or Chase's progress, but then he was back and sounded worried. _"I've lost contact with Chase."_

"What?" Bree gasped. "What do you mean 'you lost contact with Chase?'"

_ "Exactly what it means! I was explaining to him about the security he needs to watch out for and then the line went dead."_

_ "Chillax, people,"_ Adam piped in. Davenport must have joined the comm. links. _"Chase is probably just taking care of business and doesn't need your insanely annoying voice in his ear while he does it."_

_ "Adam, he needs my instructions if he's to disable the nuclear reactor correctly."_

_ "I was talking about the other kind of business,"_ Adam says seriously.

_ "Why would Chase take a bathroom break when he knows there's people to save?"_ Leo asks in a disgusted voice.

_ "Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go."_

Bree closed her eyes and said in exasperation, "Okay, enough." Turning back to the boy and his mother, she said, "Get on my back, kid, and I'll get you out of here." She picked up the woman as the little boy reached around and clasped hands around her neck. When both passengers were secure, Bree super speeded out of the building and set the mother and child down in a vicinity that would not be in danger of the building should it collapse. "Stay here," she told the boy, but before she left, she turned back and said, "Don't tell anyone about me, okay?"

"Why?" he asked, clearly mystified.

"Because…" she paused, searching for an explanation, and smiled when she found one. "I'm a secret superhero." She winked at the kid before racing back into the building, leaving the boy to stare after her in awe.

Bree climbed up the flights of stairs to the level she didn't get to fully check because of the kid and his mom. She opened another door and screamed as she fell through a hole in the floor.

* * *

><p><em> "Bree!"<em> Mr. Davenport shrieked - yes, shrieked (and not in a manly way) - in Adam's ear, making him flinch as he ran down vacant halls of a giant college. Adam did a double take as he passed a really weird painting for the third time.

"Mr. Davenport! Either the building is alive and trying to hinder my success in saving lives or I am really lost."

_ "This is Leo Dooley here, speaking on behalf of Donald Davenport who is currently tearing his hair out and is unable to speak. How may I help you?" _

"I need help navigating this horrid maze."

_ "Why are you speaking like a drama student acting out one of Shakespeare's play?"_

"Because I can! Now tell me how to get to the people in need of my awesome strength!"

_ "Okay! Sheesh. Take a left. Now, take a right."_

Adam followed Leo's directions until he came to a hallway that had caved in. He stood before it as he asked, "Uh, what do I do now?"

_ "Move the rocks, of course!"_ Adam shrugged and took a step forward, but before he could do anything, Davenport shouted in his ear… again.

_ "No! Don't!"_

"…Why not?"

_ "If you move the wrong part of the rubble, it could cave in more, and we don't know anything about the status on the other side except that there is a dangerous gas filling the room and that students and teachers are trapped on the other side."_

"All the more reason to start hauling some… college?"

_ "Listen to me, Adam, this has to be done carefully."_

Adam pouted as he listened to Davenport's instructions.

_ Man,_ he thought. _I wish Chase was here._ In his distraction, Adam knocked loose a giant cobblestone that caused the whole pile of stone and wood to come loose.

Adam screamed - yes, screamed (but in a manly way) - as the pile of rubble fell towards him.

* * *

><p>"Adam? Adam? ADAM!"<p>

Davenport's day was seriously going on his Not Top Ten Favorite Days list as #1. He was scrambling around the lab, frantically trying to regain communication with the three bionic teens, but was having no luck. Leo was having a hard enough time just trying to stay out of Big D's way when Tasha came into the lab.

"What the heck is going on here?" she demanded, hands on hips. Donald ignored her but Leo tried to sum everything up for her.

"Well, let's see. There are over two dozen things going horribly wrong in the world, Adam, Bree, and Chase are out there trying to save the it, but those said three are currently unknown to be dead or alive."

_ "What?!"_ Tasha seethed.

"Yeah," Eddie said, appearing on one of his screens. "Now, if you'd please, we'd like you to leave." Tasha looked like she wanted to argue, but Leo interrupted.

"Please, Mom. It'll make things easier." Tasha pursed her lips but gave in.

"You let me know as soon as you find out they're okay," she said warningly before heading back upstairs.

Leo turned to Eddie. "Thanks for helping out, for once."

"Oh, I didn't do it to help out. I just wanted to watch Donny go insane. If 'Tasha' had stayed, then I would miss out on this rare moment."

Leo rolled his eyes. "You're such a good Samaritan." But whatever Eddie was going to retort with was interrupted by a static sound, followed by coughing. Donald and Leo shared a glance at the sound that was coming over the comm. link.

_ "Mr. Davenport? Leo?"_ Adam's voice crackled over the link.

"Oh, thank goodness," Davenport breathed.

* * *

><p><em> "Are you okay?"<em> Adam moved more debris, coughing from the dust.

"Yeah, I think so. I guess I must have blacked out for a little bit." There was a pause as he stared around. Then, "Uh, Mr. Davenport? Is the air supposed to be green?"

_ "Adam, that's the poison gas. You need to get out of there _now_."_

"There's someone passed out further on. I think the other geeks managed to get out. That's rude. They just walked right over me."

_ "Adam, they probably didn't even know you were there! You were buried," _Leo said.

_ "Just get the person and _get out_!" _Davenport ordered. Adam started to breathe hard just from the effort of climbing over the rubble to the woman in a white lab coat that was passed out.

"I've got her, but - is it just me, or is she heavier than normal?"

_ "Adam, that's the gas affecting you. You need to _move_."_

"Right, need to move. Got it," Adam wheezed as he carried the woman over his shoulder. "Moving is good. Like ice cream trucks. Ice cream's good."

_ "Oh, no… He's starting to hallucinate,"_ Leo stated.

_ "Go, Adam!"_ Davenport urged in his ear, but Adam was finding it hard just to move his feet more than a few inches.

"It's getting kinda hard to breath, Mr. Davenport," Adam gasped. "I think I'm just going to take a break." Ignoring Davenport's pleas to not stop, to keep going, Adam set the woman down carefully before sitting down heavily, leaning against a wall. "It's only for a few minutes. I promise…" Adam's eyes started to close as his mind became fuzzy with sleep.

_ "Adam, you can't fall asleep!"_ the inventor yelled.

_ "C'mon, man."_ Leo said. _"You need to focus. What's your favorite thing to do?"_

Adam smiled, eyes fully closed now. "Tossing Chase across the room."

_ "Okay… Do you want to do that now?"_

"Yeah. That sounds fun."

_ "Then why don't you get up and get home so you can do that?"_

"Can't. I'm too tired." His voice was becoming slurred. No one spoke for a while, and the only sounds to be heard was Adam's rasping breaths. The seventeen-year-old was just on the brink of sleep when Davenport spoke in his ear, his voice solemn with the slightest hint of shaking.

_ "Listen, Adam. Help's on the way. I can't promise that it's going to be okay. I don't know if help will get there in time."_

"That'sth o'ay, Mr. Dafenporth," Adam said. "Justh take 'are o' Bree and Chasey."

_ "Don't talk like that,"_ Davenport ordered. _"You're going to make it. You have to."_

"I don't know. Maybe I'll get to sthee Mama." There was a sharp intake of air from Davenport, but Adam didn't care.

He'd already slipped into oblivion.

* * *

><p>Bree grunted as she fought to hold on to the strip of cable as she dangled over a gaping hole, several floors deep. Tears fell from her eyes because of the strain, and she glanced at her shaking arms, and then back up at the cable, which was sliding loose the longer she held on.<p>

"Mr. Davenport!" she cried. No answer. _The earpiece must have came out when I fell,_ she thought. Her eyes darted around for some kind of solution to her problem, but she couldn't find one. _What would Chase do?_

However, before she could follow the though through, the cable suddenly snapped and she screamed as she fell about ten feet before the cable jerked to a stop, causing Bree to almost lose her grip on the wire. Terrified, Bree clung to the wire as if it were her lifeline, which it was - literally. After a few seconds, her pounding heart started to slow, just as a solution came to mind. _What would Chase do?_ Well, that's simple. He would either a) use his molecular kinesis or b) swing the cable side to side before jumping off and landing on the nearest floor on the other side of the hole. Since she obviously didn't have option _a_, option _b_ was the only thing left.

Piece of cake.

Bree took a deep breath to prepare and calm himself, but the sound of another part of the building collapsing convinced her to hurry. She felt a breeze blow across the sweat beading her forehead and nape of her neck as she started to swing back and forth, gasping when she would adjust her motion. When she had enough momentum, she let go of the wire just as the cable broke.

For several long seconds, she was suspended in air, and just when she thought she would make it, she fell short, instead she could only grab the ledge of the floor. She smiled shakily and gave a small laugh; she couldn't believe she actually didn't die.

But then the piece of floor she was handing from broke off and she screamed as she fell to the next apartment.

Bree landed hard, the wind knocked out of her, and she could only watch it horror as the floor above her started to crumble down on her.

In a flash, she was on her feet and she speeded out of the way just as the ceiling crashed right where she had been. In seconds she was out of the building and a safe distance away where she stood, gasping, as she watched the building cave in. As the dust rose in giant billows, she remembered that she had a spare comm. device in a pouch of her mission suit. She pulled it out with trembling fingers and fit it into her ear.

"Mr. Davenport?"

_ "Bree?_ Davenport's voice was very high-pitched and he sounded very stressed. _"Are you okay?"_

"Yeah, I'm fine. Has Chase made contact yet?"

_ "No."_ The inventor made a choking sound. _"And Adam will die if help doesn't get there in time."_

"What?!" Bree gasped, her voice rising and her heart beating out of control. "No- no. That- that's not possible. He's going to live, right?"

_ "I don't know, Bree! I've sent Agent Fitz with medical gear to go get him, but I don't know if he'll make it."_

"I'm going to go get him myself," Bree declared, and was just about to take off when Davenport stopped her.

_ "No! Bree, you need to finish your assignments. Adam will hang on until Fitz arrives."_

"But you said you didn't know if he would just fifteen seconds ago!"

_ "Bree! Adam wouldn't have wanted you to come for him! You've got to respect that!"_

"But he's my brother!" That made Davenport pause, but Bree wasn't sure why, and when he spoke, his tone was subdued.

_ "I know, Bree. But if I were Adam, and I knew I didn't have long, and I was talking to you _right now_, would you respect my wishes then?"_ Bree sniffled, tears welling in her eyes.

"Yes, but I wouldn't like it," she said, her voice quivering. Her legs threatened to give out, and she was tempted to just crawl under a rock and cry her eyes out. But she knew that Adam wouldn't have wanted that. Dang it! She's got to stop thinking like he was already dead. She looked down at the piece of paper with the addresses on it and studied the next one.

"Mission one complete. Commencing mission two."

* * *

><p><em> ARRRRie. ARRRRie. ARRRRie. <em>

Chase growled. The ear-splitting alarm was seriously getting on his nerves. He stood in a defensive position in front of two giant, burly men - wielding hand guns, by the way - who could pass off as world champion wrestlers or super-soldier marines.

"Which one of you is Captain America? Oh, wait. Neither of you are 'cause neither of you are wearing the spangly outfit," Chase mocked sarcastically.

"You're lucky we're not dressed like Spider-man," the one on the left said just as enthusiastically. Chase nearly lost his lunch at the mental image, but the brief distraction was all the two needed and they launched their attack. Chase barely ducked the first punch, but the second caught him right in the gut, causing him to wheeze and double over in pain.

"This kid isn't so tough," the second guy scoffed. The two shared a look. "What do we do with him?"

"Take him to the boss?" When they looked back, Chase was gone. A shadow danced in the corner of their eyes, but before they could turn in that direction, they were picked up off of their feet and slammed together, rendering them unconscious.

"I've had enough boss men to last me a lifetime, thanks," Chase said before taking off to finish his mission. He forgot, however, to turn his earpiece back on ever since he'd turned it off when he confronted the guards.

Click. _His heart stopped._

_ "Freeze."_

_ And that he did. His shoulders tensed and he ignored Davenport's annoying voice in his ear._

_ "Hands above your head." As he complied, he smoothly brushed his fingers across he ear, turning off the comm. link so he wouldn't be distracted. "Turn around _-_ slow." Chase spun on his heel to face the two buff dudes and saw two guns pointed at him. _

During his whole trip to the nuclear reactor, he passed only two or three scientists in the halls, but they did nothing to stop him - they didn't even seem to acknowledge him. When he reached the reactor, he was not surprised to see computers upon computers surrounding the massive device, and every single one was flashing some kind of warning of sorts. And it was only then that he remembered that he needed Davenport's help to stop the reactor from… well, exploding, really.

He switched his comm. back on, but he paused before speaking as he heard Mr. Davenport talking frantically to Leo.

Chase froze. "Mr. Davenport? What's wrong?" Immediately, the jabbering stopped for five seconds before Davenport spoke into the comm.

_ "Chase? Why the heck weren't you answering? I thought something horrible had happened!"_

"Mr. Davenport, I'm fine. I just had to take care of some goons and I turned off my earpiece so I wouldn't get distracted." Chase paused. "What about Bree and Adam?"

_ "I'm fine," _came his sister's voice through the link. _"I'm so glad that I didn't become an only child within just thirty minutes."_

"Why would you think that?" Chase asked, genuinely confused, but when no one answered him, an uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. "Guys? What happened to Adam? Is he alright?"

_ "Chase…"_ Davenport began quietly, _"Adam might not make it home this time."_

Chase suddenly felt weak and leant against a wall for support. "What? Are you saying-"

_ "That Adam could die, yes."_

"And you're okay with this?" Chase nearly shrieked, hearing the resignation in Davenport's voice.

_ "Of course not! I'm his father! Do you even know what I'm going through right now? Three of my children are going out on missions that they may never come home from! I've done what I can for Adam from here, but now I need to focus on you and Bree. Adam would understand."_

"But I don't!" Chase whined, tears building in his eyes and his voice started to shake. He couldn't imagine life without is big brother, even if he teased him non-stop. "This… is-isn't - I mean, w-we just… just c-can't…" Chase couldn't finish his sentence because the emotions inside were boiling in his stomach and his chest felt like an overgrown elephant had sat on it with the intent to collapse his chest cavity.

Davenport, back in the lab was barely holding it together at the sound of devastation in Chase's voice, which reminded him of a time he'd rather forget.

_ "You monster!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face as he cradled her in his arms, while _he_ stood raving in the background, totally oblivious_-

Davenport pulled out of the painful memory so fast that his head actually jerked back.

Meanwhile, Bree had paused in her mission and listened to Chase's heartbroken argument with Mr. Davenport, trying to hold back tears.

"Chase, you need to listen to me," she said as soothingly as she can.

Back with Chase, hearing Bree's gentle but commanding voice helped him to stop his pacing but his heart still thumped wildly in his chest.

_ "I know this is hard, Chase; It's hard for me, too. But do you think Adam would have wanted us to sacrifice hundreds of lives just to save his? Even Adam wouldn't be that selfish."_

Chase glanced at the ceiling. His bionic, logical self knew that Bree was right and it was overpowering his human self that refused to accept the truth. Curse his super smarts - sometimes. Bree, Davenport, and Leo could hear the alarms blaring at Chase's end while they waited several tense seconds for him to make a decision.

Finally, Chase took a deep breath and steeled himself. "No, he wouldn't." Chase interrupted the sighs of relief he heard by saying, "Mr. Davenport, I think it's time we shut down this nuclear reactor before it blows up and destroys the town."

_ "That sounds like a wonderful idea,"_ the adult agreed.

* * *

><p>Harrison grinned gleefully as he listened to the conversations between Davenport and his children, and it was even more fun as he watched the three bionics through separate security footages. Seriously, the comm. link and video feeds were as easy to hack as singing the <em>ABC<em>'s.

Suddenly, a small beeping noise sounded, alerting the man that he had an incoming transmission. He opened it on his tablet and a live video filled the screen, revealing a shadow-shrouded man like the one receiving the message.

_ "How are things proceeding?"_ asked the new-comer, his voice garbled from decrypting.

"Everything's going according to plan. Our mutual friend looks like he's ready to tear his hair out."

_ "Excellent. What stage are you at?"_

"Stage seven, but it's almost completed."

_ "Remind me of stage eight, again."_

"While the Davenport's are focused on the wild goose chases I sent them on, I am free to steal the necessary devices needed to complete our own. Stage eight is assembling our machine."

_ "Very good."_

"You know," Harrison drawled out, "when I kidnapped the boy, I couldn't help but notice the uncanny resemblance between father and son." He grinned at the other man's momentary lapse of silence.

Then, _"Just get on with our plan. The sooner I can have my revenge, the better."_

Harrison continued to smile. "Whatever you say, kid."

_ "Don't call me that!"_ growled the cryptic man. Harrison frowned.

"Listen, I can call you whatever I want. Tick me off, and the whole deal is over. You're whole revenge business depends on my cooperation, and the only reason I'm helping you is because I don't agree with what Donald did to us."

_ "I understand that! But I'm not a kid anymore __-__ something you and that traitor will understand soon enough."_

Harrison smirked. "That's the spirit."

The shadowed figure paused, then said with a sneer, _"Oh, and as soon as he gets the chance, Davenport will bring in the cavalry."_

The older man's brow furrowed in confusion. "What? What do you mean?" His partner just chuckled before ending the conversation, Harrison's tablet screen going black. The man felt anger suddenly surge, and he slammed his fist on the table top.

He hated surprises.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter soundtrack: Let The Sparks Fly by Thousand Foot Krutch. I highly suggest listening to that to increase the effect of the chapter.<strong>

**So... what did you guys think? As always, I love feedback. You're reviews always make me smile :)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Yo! How y'all doing? Today has been an awesome day, if I may say so myself. My family and I went out and had some well-deserved family time and I had a blast. So anyway, enjoy chapter eight. Oh... and remember to take breaks if it gets too intense. ;) I hope you guys are still alive at the end of this chapter, because then there wouldn't be any reason to continue this story... so yeah. **

**Special shout out to MoonlitShadowsoftheHumanSoul, who is extremely awesome, by the way. If you haven't read her stories, I highly suggest you do. They're very interesting. :) MoonlitShadows, you're medical advice won't come into play in this chapter, but chapter nine. **

**Also, thanks to all my faithful reviewers. You guys... *shakes head with a smile* I just can't describe how much you guys encourage me and make me laugh and smile. **

**And thanks to anyone who favorited, followed, or just read my story. It means a lot.**

* * *

><p>Don't give up hoping when the ship goes down<p>

Grab a spar or something¾just refuse to drown.

Don't think you are dying just because you're hit,

Smile in the face of danger and hang to your grit.

-Louis E. Thayer, _Hang To Your Grit!_

* * *

><p><em> "Reports are coming in of vandalism all over the city <em>_-__ from hardware stores to school campuses__-__"_

"Chase! You need to hurry!"

_ "We are at the scene of a terrifying firefight between brave cops and ninja-like robbers-"_

"Bree, be careful!"

_ "The mayor has issued a statement to all citizens: Lock your doors, lock your windows, and go outside only if you need to."_

"There's too many things happening at the same time! They won't be able to stop them all!"

_ "There wasn't any warning at all. They just swooped in and stole our most valuable science equipment in this university. If those machines got into the wrong hands, then it wouldn't be good. Wouldn't be good at all."_

"Maybe not, but they need to try."

* * *

><p><em> Thud.<em>

Followed by a grunt as someone struggled to their feet.

Chase spat blood onto the ground, then wiped away whatever was left from the split lip he'd received when his opponent punched him in the face.

_ "Chase, I thought I taught you better than to just stand there and eat a fist,"_ Davenport said.

"Shut up," Chase snapped, but he was grinning anyway. He finally got to his feet and faced his opponent.

"Starting them out a little young, aren't they?" the muscled man said to no one in particular, his deep voice rumbling in the empty space.

"Excuse me?" Chase asked, genuinely confused.

"What are you? CIA? NSA? MI6?"

"Something like that," the bionic said. "You could say that I come from a private organization."

"Look, kid, I don't want to hurt you, but you leave me n-"

Chase rushed the man before he could finish. He sprang into the air at the precise moment, wrapping his thighs around the goon's neck and then used his momentum to swing around, pulling the man down with him. He landed on his back where he then grabbed one of the man's flailing arms, pulling it tight as he proceeded to choke the man.

After several seconds of intense physical straining, the goon finally passed out. Chase let go of the man's arm and went limp as he looked at the ceiling, sweat beading his forehead, gasping slightly.

_ "Get up, Chase. You need to keep going."_ Chase groaned but got to his feet anyway, lightly kicking the unconscious body out of the way. It was passed midnight, and he was only a little over halfway through the list of emergencies Davenport gave him. His body was tired and sore from fighting so many guards of top secret facilities, and his mind was also tired, making it difficult to concentrate.

Bree's voice suddenly crackled in his ear. _"I'm almost done with Adam's list, Mr. Davenport."_ With her super speed and Davenport's help, Bree was able to finish her missions in twice the normal time and move onto Adam's.

Thinking about Adam made Chase's chest ache. Davenport had told them that Adam had been picked up by Fitz and was taken to one of Davenport's research buildings that would be able to help the oldest bionic.

That was twelve hours ago.

They still didn't know if Adam was going to be alright or not.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this, Mr. Davenport," Chase gasped as he moved deeper into the compound, where he was supposed to stop some thieves from stealing a high-priority item.

_ "I know, Chase, but you're almost done. You're doing a great job."_

Chase smiled, but before he could reply, a shadow moved on his right. He sharpened his hearing as he continued to walk.

"What is _he_ doing here? He's early," Chase heard an unfamiliar female voice somewhere in the darkness. Even though his heartbeat was beginning to race, he continued to walk as if he hadn't heard anything.

"We can't let him stop this segment of the operation. It's crucial to the plan that we succeed," whispered a second person - male.

"What do we do?" asks the first voice.

"We delay him," came the solution.

"You know we can't kill him, right? Boss' orders."

"I know that, but the orders never said anything about having a little fun."

Chase swallowed thickly, picking up his pace. The voices went silent; he couldn't even hear their footfalls.

Suddenly, a girl clad in black somersaulted from the darkness to stand in front of him, ridiculously thin and agile.

Chase's lungs seemed to stop working as he stared in horror at one of his torturers. Slim Girl laughed at him and said in a totally different voice, "Hello, Chasey. Did ya miss me?" The bionic started to hyperventilate when he heard a familiar and unwelcome voice behind him.

"Naww, he missed me more." Chase turned to see Steroid Boy peeling off a clear patch off of his throat where his larynx was. "Isn't that right?" The teen whipped back around and saw Slim Girl doing the same thing.

"It's only been just a little over a day since we last saw him." When she caught him staring at the clear patch gripped between her pointer finger and thumb, she chuckled. "Voice manipulators," she said with a smirk. "Who knew spy movies could come in so handy."

_ "Chase! What's going on? Are you okay?"_ Davenport's worried voice was persistent, but Chase ignored him.

Hate began to burn in his heart, swelling into an inferno.

"What's the matter," mocked Slim Girl, making a pouty face. "Baby Chasey doesn't want to play? Do you want to run to your mommy?" As the look on Chase's face darkened, the older teen laughed cruelly. "Oh, that's right! You can't 'cause you don't have a mommy." That was the last straw needed to break the dam holding the bionic's hatred in.

With an outrage scream, Chase turned so that his right side faced Slim Girl and his left side faced Steroid Boy, and then he thrust his arms out, sending the two flying (along with anything else not attached to the floor thanks to his molecular kinesis) as if a bomb had detonated where Chase stood. Steroid Boy crashed into a wall while Slim Girl fell into a table with pricy equipment on it.

Chase stood there, arms still outstretched and chest heaving, as he glared around, his shadowed eyes and fierce expression making him seem evil; like, Dark-side evil - minus the glowing yellow eyes.

_ "Chase! What happened? Are you okay? ANSWER ME!"_ Davenport's voice was extremely anxious, and to Chase - it was becoming annoying.

"I'm fine," he growled, finally lowering his arms. "Just ran into a little trouble, but I took care of it."

"You sure about that?" Steroid Boy snarled, cracking his neck and then his knuckles as he approached Chase.

Chase's lip curled into a sneer. "Yeah. I'm sure." He rushed the bigger teen, throwing a right hook at his face, but when Steroid Boy deflected it, Chase twisted before he jerked his elbow back, hitting his opponent right in the nose. There was a loud _snap_ as Steroid Boy yelled in pain, pushing away from Chase as he clutched his throbbing and bleeding nose.

"Bill!" shrieked Slim Girl from the other side of the room.

Chase grinned and looked at Bill. "Bill, huh? Is it short for Billboard? Aka large and stupid?"

"Shut up!" Bill howled.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Slim Girl hissed, running at Chase from behind. She raised a clenched hand, preparing to strike at Chase's temple, but the bionic whipped around and grabbed her fist then pulled it down the unnatural way, threatening to break her elbow. Slim Girl yelped and fell to her knees to try and flow with the moment to prevent suffering from anymore pain.

"Natalia!" Bill cried. Apparently they cared very much for each other.

Natalia refused to give up, however, and she swung out her legs, knocking Chase's feet from under him and causing him to lose his hold on her. As he tried to get to his feet, Natalia beat him to it and kicked him in the ribs, forcing him to roll onto his back.

"Get up," she hissed, fury dancing in her eyes, but equal hatred burned in his.

Chase got to his feet and stood in a defensive stance, Natalia mimicking him. For a few tense seconds, no one moved, but then Natalia let out a yell and tried to deliver a roundhouse kick but the bionic lifted his arm and deflected it with his forearm. He followed his block with a right hook but Natalia held her palms up and pushed his arm down. As Chase was bent over slightly from unbalance, the female brought her knee up, intending to break his nose, but it was off-centered and hit his cheekbone instead; however, it still had the desired effect.

Chase stumbled back, managing to lift his hand up in defense while he shook his head, trying to clear away the black spots dancing before his eyes.

"Finish it, Natalia!" demanded Bill. Chase saw it coming too late.

Natalia's foot came at his leg, and before Chase could react, it hit his knee on the inside with an upward force.

Chase screamed as white-hot pain shot through his leg, causing it to buckle and send him crashing to the ground. He rolled onto his side, his broken knee bent slightly as his hands reached towards it but didn't touch. Tears fell from his eyes as he clenched his teeth and pressed his face into the floor, sobs mixed with screams escaping his throat.

"Let's get out of here," Bill said.

Natalia knelt down by Chase, watching him as he suffered in agony. "Consider this a warning, Chase," she hissed. "Next time you won't be so lucky." With that, she and Bill disappeared into the gloom while Davenport yelled in Chase's ear, begging the bionic to respond, but the teen was oblivious to everything except the pain before he finally blacked out, minutes before some of Davenport's medics arrived to help him.

* * *

><p>Bree had frozen in mid-step when she heard the guttural scream that could have only come from Chase. The blood had drained from her face and her legs and hands trembled.<p>

"Mr-Mr. D-Davenp-port?" she stuttered fearfully. "Wha-What ha-happened?"

There was a long pause, and when she thought that her father wasn't going to answer, he finally spoke with a strained and desperate voice. _"I don't know! I'm trying to hack into the security feed of the building he was in but something shut me out and I can't find a loop hole and Chase won't answer me and Adam is still unresponsive and it's all so_-_"_ Tears sprang to Bree's eyes at the sound of Davenport's broken voice.

Bree always teased the boys about moving out and going somewhere far away from all of… that (at this point, she would gesture to Adam and Chase with a disgusted look), but she never actually imagined life without them. Okay, so maybe she daydreamed about having a life away from her brother's, but they would always be there to visit her or vice versa. She couldn't bear the thought of them being gone forever, and in that moment, she vowed never to tease them like that again.

"He'll be alright," Bree said, but she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself or Davenport.

"Oi, _niña bonita_!" called a voice. "Pretty girl! _Tú_ _trabajas_- You work here?" Bree turned to see the guy with the Spanish accent walking up to her. He was dressed an all black outfit with black leather gloves - unusual.

"_Sí_," she replied, plastering on a smile. "I'm part of the new security division. And I'm, well, new, and I haven't had the chance to look at the personnel files. Do you… _trabajas_ here, too?"

The man smiled at her attempt to speak his language. "_Sí_. I'm the janitor."

Bree furrowed her brows as she glanced at the man's attire. "And does the janitor usually dress like a character out of a spy movie?"

The guy's smile only seemed to grow larger, which further convinced Bree that he was _not_ a janitor. "You see - I'm a little embarrassed to admit this - I was on my way to this convention about different spy books and everyone had to dress up as spies, but then work called and I had take an extra shift. I didn't get the chance to change. What about you? Is that the 'new security division' uniform?"

Bree glance down at her mission suit and chuckled nervously. "Yeah, probably not the best choice."

"So what does this division do?" he asked.

Bree smiled. "Oh, we're assigned to patrol this facility and stop thieves like you."

The man's smile froze on his face. "Excuse me?"

"You really expected me to buy the whole 'spy convention' crap?"

"And you expect me to believe the 'new security division' story?" His face darkened and an evil grin emerged on his face. "My boss owns this compound and he briefed me personally all about it. So, you obviously don't belong here."

Bree snarled, "And neither do you." She threw a fist at his jaw but he ducked, and before she react, he sprang forward, wrapping his arms around her stomach and brought her down with him. The breath was crushed out of her from the impact and she was still gasping for air when the guy got to his feet and stood over her.

"So _muy bonita_," he sighed remorsefully. "Such a shame to ruin it." He lifted his foot to bring it down on her face, but before he could smash it in, she managed to roll away and get to her feet, much to his surprise. He could still see she was having a hard time breathing and he smiled. "Come on, _muchacha_. Don't make this so hard on yourself." He pulled out a gun that looked like it belonged in Star Wars. "I'll make it quick." He leveled the gun at her, and her eyes widened with fear.

_ Bang!_

* * *

><p>Davenport heard a vehicle pull into his secret driveway he used only for his mission cars and immediately knew it was the ambulance carrying Chase. His private team of surgeons and other medical staff were waiting anxiously in the lab for their patient as Davenport continued to monitor Bree. The reason why Adam had to go to a separate facility and not Chase was because Davenport didn't have any doctors that specialized in poisons on speed-dial that could get to Davenport's house in less than two hours, so he shipped Adam in a helicopter and got him to the doctors in thirty-five minutes. Chase, however, could be treated in his very home, and he liked that idea better than a hospital where their secret could be discovered and then everything would fall apart, worse than it was now.<p>

The doctors already had a surgical area prepared, closed off by a white curtain, and Davenport glanced at it apprehensively. But then his private emergency responders came in, wheeling in a gurney on which his youngest bionic was strapped to, still unconscious. The adult rushed over to the gurney and walked with it.

"Is he okay? What's wrong with him?" he asked.

One of the responders gave him an annoyed sideways-glance but replied anyway. "His knee is shattered, sir. Now, if you don't mind, please step away from the stretcher and let us do our job." Davenport numbly complied, devastated by the news. A wound like that could cripple a person for life, but he had to believe that his doctors - who were the best, by the way - could make it right.

Then, a gun shot went off in his ear comm. and his eyes widened in fear. An unwanted memory surfaced before he had a chance to stop it.

_ Bang!_

_ She fell to the floor, lifeless. He rushed forward, feeling his heart shatter into a million pieces. "NOOOOO!" he cried as he ran before dropping to his knees and sliding to her side. He picked her up and held her tight in his arms, her beautiful hazel eyes wide open, staring straight up but not seeing. Her body was limp in his grasp, one hand resting on her midsection and the other lying palm up on the cold stone floor. _

_ "You monster!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face as he cradled her in his arms, while _he_ stood raving in the background, totally oblivious_-

Davenport sucked in a sharp breath and placed a shaking hand to his brow. _Why now?_ he thought. Why is all of this happening? But then he realized something.

"Bree?" he said quietly, voice quivering at the possibility that Bree was at the receiving end of the gunshot, and made eye contact with Leo's equally scared gaze. "Bree?" he called louder, voice cracking, and he looked to the ceiling as he bit on his bottom lip. "Bree. Answer me." There was no response, but before he could speak again, something went horribly wrong behind the white curtain.

* * *

><p>Fire.<p>

Fire couldn't even begin to describe the pain she felt.

Wait - why was she in pain? Oh, that's right. She got shot. …But…why did she get shot? Her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion as she tried to focus on the spinning room, her breath coming in small, almost-nonexistent gasps. Oh, yeah. She was dumb enough to stand still in front of the gun that shot her.

She wanted to roll onto her side, but when she tried, she cried out as white-hot pain exploded in her shoulder and was forced to lie still. Hot tears rolled down from the corner of her eyes as she quietly sobbed. Even that hurt.

"Somebody, help!" she tried to scream, but it only came out as a hoarse whisper. Her communicator! She could ask Davenport to get help. "Mr. D.? Mr. Davenport?" A cramp twisted in her chest, making her gasp. Why wouldn't he answer? Bree moved her good arm slowly until she could touch the ear that had her comm. in it… or did have. Her fingers groped around her ear desperately and found nothing. She felt more tear fall. It must have fallen out when she fell.

She took several deep breaths, her heart pounding in fear of what she was about to do. With all the strength and courage she could muster, she sat up, but she screamed as it felt like her bad shoulder was ripped apart. Before she lost her concentration, she clumsily got to her feet, biting her bottom lip in the process. When she was standing, she nearly fell back down, but she realized she was near a wall and so she leaned against it. Her shoulder throbbed like nothing she'd ever experienced and sweat dampened her hair. Gross.

Bree shuffled forward a few steps, her bad arm hanging limply at her side, then decided she was going too slow, so she super speeded out of the building and to Chase's last location, which was closer than Davenport's mansion, intending to retrieve his self-driving car to get there.

Because she knew she wasn't going to make it home all by herself.

* * *

><p>It was dark, and it was cold.<p>

He sat shivering on his cot, knees up to his chest and arms wrapped around his legs. Waiting.

He missed his family, his home. He missed teasing his siblings or just hanging out with them. He scowled suddenly. The only company he had would come only sporadically and torture his mind.

He'd lost count of the days he'd been locked in this prison, since the day they restored his hearing, since the day he found out his bionics were useless - forced to pace in his windowless, dark cell and listen to lies that he wasn't even sure if they were lies anymore.

_ "H__-__ …e th__-__… __-__al__-__"_

The voice he suddenly heard in his mind sent a wave of pain through his head and left knee, but he couldn't figure out why.

Suddenly, the door to his cell opened, casting bright light on him that assaulted his eyes and he lifted a hand to block out the light. Squinting, he saw a large and familiar silhouetted shape of one of his torturers, and his heart started to thud painfully in his chest.

_ "I__-__ …on't… __-__der__-__! Wh__-__ h-h'ng?"_

"Chase," sneered Steroid Boy - or Bill, but Chase didn't know how he knew that. "The Boss wants to meet you." Bill stomped in and wrapped a meaty hand around one of Chase's biceps, roughly pulling the younger teen to his feet.

Chase's knees gave out when he stood and he would have fallen if it weren't for Bill holding him up.

"Why do I always get stuck with the weaklings?" Steroid Boy muttered. Chase growled and regained his footing, defiantly pushing with his free hand on Bill's chest with enough strength to slightly unbalance the overgrown teen. "Why, you little-" Bill snarled, tightening his already stone-crushing grip on Chase's arm while glaring at the bionic. "You're lucky the Boss needs you alive or I would have killed you where you stood. Now, come on." Bill walked out of the cell and stormed through the halls of some sort of old building - like a castle - while he dragged Chase with him.

The bionic fruitlessly tried to yank his arm free, but Bill just kept walking, unfazed. "What are you going to do with me?" he asked through clenched teeth, still unwilling to give up.

"That's for the Boss to know and you to find out," Steroid Boy said, sniggering. Chase was filled with dread at those words.

Finally, they came to another door with thick and ancient wood. Steroid Boy turned the handle and gave a big shove, causing the door to swing open with a loud screech which hurt Chase's newly-restored, sensitive ears. He winced, but before he could dwell on it, he was forcibly pushed into the room beyond that was lit by a single bulb, creating a spotlight-like beam. When Chase regained his footing, he found himself directly under the bulb, facing into the darkness but he turned around when he heard the door slam shut. And so there he was, left in a mysterious room, unsure if he was alone or not, but that problem was solved a moment later.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have a remarkable resemblance to your mother?" The new voice echoed throughout the room, making him jump, but his face instantly turned into a scowl. "Of course, there's a fair amount of your father in your DNA." A man stepped out of the shadows, joining Chase in the sphere of light, a sinister grin on his face.

The Boss was tall, about six foot or a little bit over, with blond hair and a slim build. He wore a suit and tie, completely passing off the businessman look.

"Who are you?" Chase asked, shifting slightly into a more defensive stance. The stranger ignored him, however, because he folded his hands behind his back and started to circle the bionic, chin lifted as he stared at the teen out of the corner of his eye. Instead of answering Chase's question, he asked one of his own.

"Do you remember your mother?" His voice was silky, a voice that belonged to someone who deceives others, who twists his words to get what he desires.

Chase was stunned by the inquiry. "What does she have to do anything?" he asked, sincere confusion in his tone.

"Just answer the question, Chase," the man warned in a patient voice.

"You…You know my name," Chase stated with a gulp, eyes following the stranger, who started to chuckle.

"Of course. I know _everything_ about your family and it's precious secret."

_ "Ho__-__… __-__m __-__o'n!"_

Chase felt his heartbeat rise and swallowed nervously. "Are you from the government?" At his question, the adult threw his head back laughing. Chase was so shocked by this that he faltered out of his defensive stand.

"My boy, if I were part of the government, you wouldn't be here, standing freely with a clear head. If you were in the custody of the government, you wouldn't even be standing at all for the first few weeks! You'd be pumped with so many drugs that you wouldn't even know what is real and what is a dream. You'd be hooked to so many different machines while they monitor you. And if you're lucky, in a few months you might be able to be released from the science ward and into the military division where they will push you to your limits and see how much of a threat you actually are." The Boss stopped his circling and faced Chase, pointing a finger at the teen. "And after that, if they find you to be of use, they'd try with all their power to turn you into a weapon to use against thousands, enemy soldiers and civilians alike. It wouldn't matter much to them."

He took a step forward, dropping his hand to his side. "So be thankful, _boy_, that I'm not from the government." After a few seconds of staring at the wide-eyed teen, he again clasped his hands behind his back and continued his circling. "But we're avoiding the matters at hand. You never answered my question."

Chase looked at the ground as he racked his brain for anything about his mom. "No," he said thickly. "I never knew her." He heard the adult _tsk_ several times in disappointment.

"Shame. But, then again, you probably wouldn't."

Chase followed the man, turning his head to keep him in sight. "But you didn't answer mine, either. What does she have to do with this?" He frowned .

when the stranger chortled darkly.

"Oh, my dear boy, she has _everything_ to do with this."

_ "__-__s h'rt… __-__eat's… r__-__i'g__-__!"_

"Did you know that your…_ father_-" he spat out the word as if it left a horrible taste in his mouth "-was involved in her death?" The Boss finally stopped his pacing and turned to the bionic, who's face had gone even more pale.

Chase felt as if an elephant had run him over because he found it hard to breathe. "W-What?" he gasped, but the guy just kept rambling on in a delirious-like state induced by a strong fever.

_ "HU__-__!"_

_ "Wh's __-__e 'oin__-__?"_ The painful voices inside his head were getting louder as his heart sped up.

"And do you know why you're here, _Chase_?" He didn't wait for an answer. "You're here because of a plan for sweet, _sweet_ revenge on the man who ruined my life, my partner's life, and _**stole**_ _her_ life!"

Chase shook his head in denial, backing away while tangling his fingers into his hair just above his ears and pulling on the strands in distress. "N-No… No… You-… You're _wrong_!" For the first time since he woke up in his cell and discovered that none of his bionics worked, he felt a sliver of his powers boil within him, and he grasped at them fervently. He felt a force field trying to form around him, but whatever nullifier they used to keep his powers in check was still too strong and all that happened was blueish sparks shooting off every now and then.

The Boss was still ranting on and on and _on_. "None of this would even be happening if he hadn't gotten involved fifteen years ago! But he had a school-boy crush on her and just wouldn't let her go." At the last part, the man sneered, his upper lip curling in disgust. "She would still be alive if it weren't for him!"

_ "EV'RYB__-__ 'ET __-__ACK!"_

"You're **lying**!" Chase shouted, hatred burning in his eyes. "My father would _never __**do THAT**_!"

The adult's face was contorted in fury, the single bulb casting shadows onto one side of his face. _**"Donald Davenport. Murdered. Lucy Davenport."**_

_ "TAKE COVER!"_

Chase let go of his hair and glared straight on at the Boss. _**"LIAR!"**_ Suddenly, it was as if a dam had broken inside of him and all of his bionics came rushing back to him a rush. The force field he was trying to create exploded around him, and before he could control it, it pulsed outwards from him as the central point. His captor was sent flying until he crashed into a wall, but Chase didn't relish in it because pain suddenly flared in his left knee and didn't disappear. Voices floated around in his mind, causing a headache that pounded with every heartbeat.

_ "Ho__-__… __-__e st'p __-__m?!"_

_ "W__-__… __-__n't."_

"Stop it, stop it, _stop it_!" Chase growled, gripping his head again and scrunching his eyes shut.

Then, silence.

No pain in his knee, no voices in his head. All he heard was his own gasping for air. Cautiously, he started to uncurl his fingers from his hair, the joints within the digits stiff from the tension. When he opened his eyes, he instantly had to shield his them with a hand from the bright light that came from all around him. Well, he wasn't in that dark room anymore.

When his eyes adjusted somewhat, Chase detected movement in front of him, but he didn't feel the need to be wary. Whoever was coming was a friend. He knew it.

A figure emerged from the light and walked towards him - a woman. She wore a long, flowing white gown adorned with silk and lace, but a silk hood hid most of her face from view (plus, he could tell she was watching where she was stepping more than looking ahead.) As she walked gracefully towards him, she suddenly tripped because of the high heels she must have been wearing. "Dang it!" she hissed with the voice of a woman not much older than twenty. "I hate wearing dresses."

As she recovered, Chase asked with genuine curiosity, "Then why are you wearing one?" At the sound of his voice, she froze. She straightened slowly before turning to face him. He didn't know how she saw him with the hood so low, but he knew she somehow could.

A delicate hand with slender fingers raised to her lips in shock. "Chase," she whispered, unbelief in her voice as she stepped forward gingerly, her already raised hand stretched out as if to touch him but she pulled back at the last second. "My beautiful baby," she sobbed, clasping her hands over her mouth to stop herself from crying out loud.

Chase swallowed thickly. Either this woman was nuts… or- No. It wasn't possible. Instead of asking to find out, he implored, "Am I dead?" Apparently, his companion found his question hilarious and started to laugh through her tears. The teen noted that she had a very pretty laugh.

"Oh, no, Chase. You're very much alive." She continued to giggle but her humor was subsiding as she studied him.

"Then why am I here? Where is here?" His eyes wandered around them but all he saw was light; he glanced back at the woman. "Who are you?" A small smile graced her lips.

"So much like your father," she observed in a tone similar to wistfulness. Then she shook herself and lifted her chin slightly. "I can't answer all of your questions," she said in a firm voice. However, it softened at her next words. "But I can answer one."

Chase felt his heart flutter in anticipation and held his breath. The woman smiled brightly.

"I'm your mother."

* * *

><p>It was so tempting to puke all over the sleek interior of one of Davenport's prized cars.<p>

But she didn't.

Bree fought to stay awake on the car ride home because there was a good chance that she may never wake up again. So that's why she was currently blaring her most hated genre of music: heavy, _heavy_ metal. It did the trick alright. There was no way she was ever falling asleep while listening to _that_.

When the self-driving car pulled into Davenport's driveway reserved for mission vehicles, she was barely conscious, practically pleading to pass out just to spare her mind the torture of grinding vocals and screeching electric guitars and thundering drums. She managed to turn off the car and stumble out onto the pavement, her head swimming dangerously as she wobbled for the door. She barely registered the ambulance parked in the driveway as well, but when she did, she immediately guessed who had been carried in it.

_ Chase._

That thought alone propelled her forward, stumbling into the elevator and pressing the button that would take her to the lab. Before the doors opened, she heard someone scream, "TAKE COVER!" With a racing heart, the doors opened. The sight that greeted her was definitely not what she expected.

Several doctors, three emergency responders, Mr. Davenport, and Leo were ducking behind various things for shelter. But that wasn't strange compared to what she saw next.

Her baby brother was suspended in the air, about five feet off of an operating table with his back arched and arms spread out to the side, and small objects within a ten foot radius of Chase were swirling around in the air. A force field tried to form around his body, but it kept sputtering out. He looked to be unconscious, but his face was set in a hard expression, as if he was having a nightmare or something.

Bree's eyes widened at a possibility. Maybe everything that's happening is just one huge glitch.

Davenport spotted Bree and ushered her over quickly. She complied, getting down on her hands and knees (however, she had to cradle her bad arm against her stomach) and crawling over to the adult. When Davenport saw what she was doing with her arm, he instantly frowned. "What happened?" he asked, studying her as she sat with her back leaning against the counter, huffing. When he caught sight of the blaster wound, he immediately turned to her in concern. "Are you okay?"

Bree swallowed down the nausea, feeling so miserable that she didn't even try to put up a false act. Tears sprang to her eyes and fell down her cheeks. "No," she sobbed. "Mr. Davenport, I'm scared." Davenport winced at that but turned to ask one of the doctors to come over and look at her wound.

It was true - she was scared. Beyond scared, actually. Terrified, that's the word. She was afraid because she has never been in this much pain before. Scared because a situation like this has never happened before. Terrified because her family was falling apart.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light as one of Chase's force fields exploded around him and pulsed out like giant bubble, and every single flying object was sent crashing into the surrounding walls, causing the people in the room to duck and cover their heads. Davenport grabbed Bree and pulled her into him so that he could protect her body with his. She bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain, but she couldn't stop the whines and sobs.

Even after the sound of shattering glass, everyone remained still. Davenport was the first to move, letting go of the teen and gently helping her to lean back against the counter. The doctor Davenport had summoned was by Bree's side, talking to her and trying to get her to respond. While Davenport peeked over the counter, others doing the same, Bree watched the doctor through glazed eyes, deliriously noting that he was cute with black hair, blue eyes, and the brightest smile she had ever seen.

Davenport turned and said something to the young doctor before leaving, no doubt going to check on Chase. A part of Bree felt jealous, scowling in her mind that Chase got all the attention. But then she blinked several times to try and clear the strange thoughts away. Still staring at the doctor who was currently checking the wound on her shoulder, she just couldn't take it anymore.

"How'd you get yer theeth so white?" she asked, slurring slightly. Her doctor seemed surprised by the question, but then smiled that fabulous smile.

"I take excellent care with my teeth," he said. Looking her in the eyes, he said, "I believe that the smile plays an important factor in self-confidence." His eyes twinkled, or maybe she was just seeing things. "Can I see yours?" The question seemed so ridiculous to Bree that she just couldn't help but smile. "There we go," he praised, tapping her lightly on the nose. "Did anyone ever tell you that you had a wonderful smile?" When she shook her head slightly, he laughed. "Well, now someone did." He immediately sobered, though, as he said, "I'm sorry to have to do this to you, but it needs to be done."

Before she could even ask, he firmly pressed a cloth drenched in antiseptic on her gunshot wound, causing her body to tense immediately, her back arching while her hands fisted and legs struggled - anything to lessen the pain. She bit on her lip again, but she couldn't help the quiet screams coming from the back of her throat, or the tears falling more heavily down her face.

"You're doing great, you're doing great," the doctor appraised quickly. "Just take deep breaths. Come on, I know you can do it." His soothing voice helped her to calm down slightly, just enough to get her lungs working again. As her doctor called for another person's help, she shut her eyes and tried to breathe through the pain.

As blackness crept in, dragging her under, she thought, _When will all the suffering finally stop?_

Then she succumbed into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>Davenport and the other doctor's approached the gurney with caution should the teen lying upon it glitch again. When he got close enough, he noticed that Chase's expression had gone from scary to peaceful. He heard Bree's quiet moans in the background, and though he wished he could be there and comfort her, he knew the young doctor tending to her had it handled.<p>

"What in the universe was _that_?" one of the head surgeons said, from Davenport's left, glaring over the rims of his glasses at the inventor.

"I…I don't really know," Davenport answered truthfully. "He's _never_ glitched like that before."

The surgeon grunted. "Well, whatever caused it, we need to get started on the surgery as soon as possible to make sure that no permanent damage has happened, and if it hasn't, we'd like to stop it from becoming a prospect."

Davenport nodded in understanding. "Of course. I'll do anything to help to get you ready."

The older man surveyed the room, still looking over his glasses' rims still. "Well, we need to get that curtain up and the tray with our tools needs to be set up again." As he was speaking, the other surgeons were running around the room to try and set up for the operation. "Help me get the curtain on again."

The fabric had been blown off of the metal rail when Chase first started to glitch, and so the two men picked up the curtain and started to thread the rings onto the rail.

When the make-shift operation room was set up again, Davenport was forcefully ordered to "exit the premises." He checked on Bree, but the young doctor along with another medic already had her shoulder patched up as she rested peacefully. Leo came to stand by Mr. Davenport as the adult stood near the elevators with crossed arms and a dark expression.

"Hey, man," Leo started, looking up at his step-father. "They'll be alright, Big D. They learned from the best; they'll survive." But Donald didn't even hear Leo.

"He's ruining everything," he muttered, glaring at the activity going on in his lab. "Everything I've done is coming _un_done. I don't know how much longer I can keep the truth from them." Leo's eyes widened, but before he could say anything, Davenport turned to him, a conflict in his eyes. "I tried _so hard_ to protect them from my mistakes, but now it's all coming back to bite me in the butt."

Leo swallowed his questions and tried to comfort the inventor. "Don't worry, Big D. They love you, and I'm sure that whatever you've done, they'll forgive you." Davenport's countenance went cold.

"You don't know what I've done, so don't be so quick to defend me." With that, Davenport turned and entered the elevator.

Just before the doors closed, Leo caught a glimpse of the man's shaking frame as he covered his face and cried.

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa... That wasn't as long as chapter seven. Three thousand words less, to be exact. Is anyone still alive? Or are you all at the grocery store buying tomatoes to throw angrily at me? Yeah, um... I think I'm going to start running now. Adios! <strong>

**Chapter soundtrack: Sick of It by Skillet**


	10. Chapter 9

**Why, hello there! Here's a very short chapter nine, about half the length of last chapter's. I don't have much to say really, except don't kill me when you're done reading.**

**Also, thanks to MoonlitShadowsoftheHumanSoul who helped me with medical problems in this story. I honestly don't know a single thing about medicine, so... yeah. I wouldn't have been able to post this without her.**

**And thanks to my wonderful readers and reviewers. You guys are super awesome!**

* * *

><p>Be strong!<p>

It matters not how deep intrenched the wrong,

How hard the battle goes, the day how long;

Faint not - fight on! To-morrow comes the song.

¾Maltbie Davenport Babcock, _Be Strong_

* * *

><p>Last time on Lab Rats Fight Forever:<p>

_ "Then why am I here? Where is here?" His eyes wandered around them but all he saw was light; he glanced back at the woman. "Who are you?" A small smile graced her lips. _

_ "So much like your father," she observed in a tone similar to wistfulness. Then she shook herself and lifted her chin slightly. "I can't answer all of your questions," she said in a firm voice. However, it softened at her next words. "But I can answer one." _

_ Chase felt his heart flutter in anticipation and held his breath. The woman smiled brightly._

_ "I'm your mother."_

* * *

><p>Wait... what?<p>

A helpful hint in this situation: keep breathing. 'Cause if you stop breathing, you stop living. You probably don't want to stop living at this moment.

Chase certainly didn't, but then again, he still wasn't sure if he was dead or alive, even if the woman claiming to be his mother said he was. Alive, that is.

It felt like an elephant had sat on his chest because he suddenly found it _very_ hard to breathe.

"_What?_" he gasped, staring at the young woman, who was smiling.

"I know it's really hard to believe, Chase, but it's true," she said, her smile fading and desperation entering her voice.

Chase bent over and supported himself with his hands on his knees, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth as he struggled with the truth. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder and her body came into view as she crouched before him, but he tilted his head down to avoid looking at her hooded face. With her other hand, she placed her fingers under his chin and gently lifted it up until he was looking at her head on. Then she did something he did not expect: she reached up and removed her hood. The teen was nearly overwhelmed in awe of her splendor.

She had beautiful wavy locks of brown hair with a natural golden tint that cascaded down her back just below her shoulders and over the front of her gown. Her hazel eyes were so bright and her skin glowed with a tan. Her smile seemed like it could light up the whole world at night. She seemed so full of life that he had a hard time believing she was dead. If she was dead. If this was even real. But then he started to notice things, things that he recognized in himself, starting with the same color hair and eyes, the same tan, and the same smile. Chase wasn't convinced before, but he sure as heck was now.

He fell to his knees before her as the truth hit him full force.

He's always wondered what his mom would be like, and sometimes he would mention this to his siblings but they never seemed to really care. When he was a kid, he imagined her as a beautiful queen, regal and intimidating to enemies; she would walk among her subjects to get to know them, and played with the children. She would be kind and compassionate to her people while still remaining firm in her rule.

But looking at his mother now, he knew his daydreams were dull in comparison. Combinations of emotions he'd never experienced before coursed through his heart, and he swallowed thickly as tears welled up in his eyes. "Mom," he said as the tears finally fell down his cheeks. When she knelt before him, he thrust himself forward into her arms, wrapping his own around her body as he pressed his face into her shoulder, his body shaking with sobs. He felt her arms pulled him closer as she held him tight.

"Shh, shh. It's okay, Chase." After about five minutes, his tears finally dried and he was left with the hiccups. His mother pushed him away from her by the shoulders, studying him. "I have been waiting a long time for this moment, but dreading it at the same time."

Chase's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "Why?" He frowned when he saw her eyes fill with sadness.

"I receive updates on how you and your siblings are doing, but I never actually get to see for myself. And the only way I'd get to see any of you was if you..." she trailed off, sniffing, so Chase finished for her.

"Was if we died," he said quietly. "So I'm dead, after all?" His heart felt even heavier at that. As much as he wanted to stay with his mom, he didn't want to leave his family on earth.

"No!" she said quickly, trying to correct her mistake. "You're a special case, my son. See, the... Higher Power decided you needed an intervention of sorts and sent me to help. I heard about your abduction," she stated with compassion.

Chase's eyes shone with pain as he said, "You have no _idea_ what they did to me, Mom! They took away my bionics and made me feel worthless! They insulted me to the point where I thought that their lies were true." He looked down at his hands as the memories from that dark month replayed in his mind.

His mother sniffed. "Oh, Chase, I am so sorry! But you have to listen to me!" She lifted his chin again so she could look him right in the eyes. "You _can't_ let their lies get to you! Everything - _everything_ - depends on you and your sister." Chase's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Bree? What does she have to do with anything?"

"No, I meant-... Oh..." His mother's face dawned with a look of understanding. "You don't know... But then that means..." Her eyes flashed with anger as she put her fists on her hips. "Donald!" she exclaimed in exasperation.

"Who... Who are you talking about?" Chase asked. His mom glanced over her shoulder suddenly, but when the teen peeked around her, no one was there. She looked back at him with a worried expression.

"Listen, I can't tell you much because I'm not allowed to and there's not much time left, but I've had a glimpse of the future, and it's not good. You are going to be tested like nothing you've ever experienced before. But just remember: You can trust your family." Again, she looked over her shoulder, and when she looked back, tears were in her eyes but a small smile graced her lips. She ran her fingers through his hair then stroked the side of his face. "You're so handsome." She sniffed and held her hands over her heart. "My baby boy's all grown up."

Chase looked away and muttered, "Not according to Adam." His mom broke out into a fit of laughter, and it was so contagious that he couldn't help but join in.

The laughter subsided and they were left in silence again. "I wish we had more time, even if it's just to spare you from the pain when you wake up," his mother said.

Chase started with panic. "This has been all a dream? Nothing of this is real?" She smiled.

"Oh, this is very real." She stood up, her beautiful gown smoothing out as she gazed down at him. He stood up after her and he felt like crying again.

"Your leaving?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"Yes," she responded with a sad smile. "But we'll meet again someday, I feel it... in my heart." Chase's mother pulled him into another hug, this time squeezing tighter than before, but he didn't mind. He breathed in the fresh lavender scent of her hair, felt the warmth from her body. She seemed _so real_. "I'm _so_ proud of you," she said into his ear.

"I love you, Mom," he whispered.

"I love you to the moon and back," she softly whispered back.

He never wanted to let go, but soon she gently pushed themselves apart. She grasped his head in her hands and placed a kiss on his forehead. He felt her warm breath on his skin and closed his eyes. A final tear slipped down his cheek, and then she let go. When he opened his eyes, his breath caught in his throat.

She was gone.

* * *

><p><em> Beep. Beep.<em>

"Shh, I think he's waking up."

The murmur of voices suddenly quieted and all that could be heard was the steady sound coming from a machine to his right.

_ Beep. Beep._

_ Beep. Beep._

Opening his eyes was harder than he thought, but Chase finally succeeded, revealing hazel eyes to those who were watching. Vision fuzzy, he blinked a few times to make out the figures standing around him. One leaned in closer to him, and he could make out auburn hair and an arm cradled to their body in a sling. Bree.

"Chase, can you hear me?" Her voice was muffled, but he could make out her words. All he could manage was a small nod of his head because doing anything else was impossible at the moment. "Would you like some water?" Again, a small nod. Bree stepped away to pour a glass of water from a pitcher that sat on his nightstand by his bed. Only then did he realize that he was lying propped up with pillows on his actual bed upstairs. Weird.

Bree was back, holding a glass of water to his lips, which he parted gratefully to allow the liquid in. As the refreshing substance washed down his throat, his senses sharpened. No longer was anything blurry or muffled. He identified the other figures surrounding his bed to be a doctor and a nurse, Tasha, Leo, and Mr. Davenport. With a heavy heart, he realized that someone was missing.

Bree pulled the glass away and stepped back. As she did, Chase made eye contact with Davenport. "Where's Adam?" his voice was hoarse, but he didn't care. Davenport's face became downcast and he couldn't maintain eye contact. "Chase, I-" He couldn't finish what he was going to say as it sounded he was choking up. Chase felt like his already torn heart had just been ripped into nothing.

"You're not saying-" Chase said, a hint of desperation lacing his voice. Everyone looked away in grief, and a moment of sad silence settled throughout the room.

"Hey, everybody! Popcorn's done! Now we can watch Chase sleep."

Chase's eyes widened in surprise as smiles lit up everybody else's faces and they parted to show the door.

In walked none other than Adam Davenport, his ridiculously idiotic older brother.

"Adam!" Chase exclaimed in excitement.

"Little Bro!" Adam cried, handing the popcorn to Davenport and rushing to Chase's bedside where he leaned over and enveloped the youngest bionic into the biggest bear hug he could give without crushing his brother's body.

"I thought you were dead!" Chase sobbed into Adam's shoulder, which had happened only once before, when they were very little.

Adam chuckled. "Never gonna happen, Little Bro. I'll always be here to tease you about your inability to grow." Chase laughed, but it soon turned into a cry out pain as fire shot up his left leg. Adam pulled away in worry as the doctor and nurse hurried away to do something. Just then Chase notice the needle in his hand that was attached to an IV drip. His brows furrowed in confusion, but his attention was soon focused again on his legs, which were covered by his comforter.

Gripping the hem of the blanket, he swung it off in a fluid motion, revealing his legs. While his right leg was fully covered by his jeans, his left pant leg was cut off about mid thigh to show thick white bandages wrapped around his knee which began to throb painfully.

Suddenly, everything that had happened over the course of the last few days came rushing back to Chase. Glancing at Bree, he noticed her worried eyes on him.

"What happened to your shoulder?" he asked tightly, his teeth clenching as the pain spiked to another level.

His older sister rolled her eyes but complied with an answer anyway. "Some guy shot me with a ray gun or something. Nothing serious though." Mr. Davenport spoke up next.

"The doctor and nurse went to get pain medication, Chase. It's going to make you drowsy, and you'll have to take it for the rest of the week."

"A whole week?" Chase repeated. "I'm going to go mad."

Tasha chuckled, coming to stand beside him and resting a gentle hand on his arm. "Don't worry. We'll have plenty of things for you to do to keep you occupied. But you're going to be asleep for most of the week, so you shouldn't go too insane."

"How long have I been out, anyway?" Chase asked, gritting his teeth harder.

Donald shared a concerned look with Tasha but answered with, "Two days." At Chase's blanched look, he continued. "The doctors kept you heavily sedated to keep you from damaging your knee too much." Chase nodded tightly in understanding just as the two medical staff returned, each holding a needle filled with some sort of liquid.

The doctor indicated to his needle. "This is filled with morphine for the pain, and Ms. Gabriella's is filled with cefazolin to help fight off any infection." Chase nodded again, his hands fisting in his blankets as his knee felt like it was on fire by that point.

The doctor inserted the needle into IV with the nurse copying his motions soon after with her needle. They helped Chase lie back down as the medicine started to kick in. Within a minute or two, the youngest bionic was fast asleep, and everyone save Adam, who remained behind to sit at Chase's bedside, filed out of the room. Tasha, Bree, Leo, and the nurse - Gabriella, Davenport recalled - went ahead downstairs while Doctor Thornton and the inventor hung back, out of earshot of Adam, but still remaining upstairs.

"You're boy's very lucky, Mr. Davenport," the doctor stated matter-of-factly. "If all goes well, there's a 97% chance that his knee will fully recover." Thornton paused. Hesitantly, he continued. "But... I'm not so sure about his mental health. Now, I'm no psychologist, but even I can tell that that kid will have some sort of post-traumatic stress after an ordeal like that."

Davenport looked at the doctor warily. "Chase doesn't need a psychologist. We'll be here every step of the way for him."

Doctor Thornton shrugged. "Don't be surprised if he wakes up in the middle of the night screaming." Just before he started to walk away, he added, "Think about it." Then he descended the stairs, leaving a solemn Donald Davenport behind.

* * *

><p>Almost twelve hours later, Adam was still sitting by Chase's bedside, anxiously waiting for his baby brother to wake up.<p>

He should be awarded a medal, Adam mused to himself. He'd never been so still and quiet in his entire life. Ne-_ver_.

He was broken out of his thoughts as movement of the bed caught his attention. "Chase?" he said quietly, sitting on the edge of his seat in anticipation. He reached over and poked the younger teen in the cheek. "You awake, Sleeping Beauty?"

Chase groaned and swatted half-heartedly at Adam's prodding hand, still drowsy from the affects of the medications. "Go 'way, Adam," he grumbled, turning his head away.

"Aw, come on, small fry, I miss hearing your nerdy voice." When Chase rolled onto his side with his back to his brother, subconsciously shifting in a way that wouldn't aggravate his knee even though he wasn't feeling any pain, Adam pursed his lips. "Please, Chasey. Just for a few minutes," he begged.

Chase didn't want to leave the pleasant comfort of sleep, but he knew Adam wouldn't leave him alone until his complied. With another groan, he rolled onto his back, sighing an exasperated "fine" as he stared up at the ceiling with tired eyes. "What do you want, Adam?"

Adam leaned forward and glanced around the room to make sure they were alone. Lowering his voice till it was almost a whisper, he fixed his eyes on his younger brother and asked, "Did you see an angel? When you were out?" Chase glanced over quickly at Adam.

"Why do you ask?"

Childlike wonder filled Adam's eyes as he focused on an image in his mind. "Because I think I did. I asked Bree but she just looked at me weird."

Chase raised his eyebrows and thought, _No surprise there._ Out loud, he probed, "What was she like? The 'angel'?" He thought that it was their mom the oldest bionic was talking about, and her face came to mind, but he was proven wrong when Adam continued with a bright smile. "Oh man, you should have seen her. She had blond hair that shone like the sun, and her smile like the moon. And she was fun too! We had a competition to see who was stronger." Adam pouted as he paused from the story.

Chase prompted him on. "Well? Who won?"

"She did," Adam begrudgingly answered. Chase stared at Adam with wide eyes for five full seconds before he burst out laughing, cradling his midsection when it hurt to laugh. Adam smiled as he watched the younger teen, who was now crying as he threw his head back into his pillow, still laughing.

When his fit subsided, Chase managed to gasp in a hoarse voice, "You got beat by a girl?" Adam pouted again and crossed his arms.

"So?" he grumbled. "It's no big deal."

Chase snickered. "I beg to differ. Now we just need to find a flesh-and-blood girl to take you on." The two fell into a comfortable silence for several moments.

But then Adam flicked his brown eyes up to Chase's face, studying him carefully. "You never answered my question," he stated, meeting Chase's gaze. "_Did_ you see an angel?"

Chase looked away from his brother and stared up at the ceiling with a sober expression.

"Yeah. I think I did."

* * *

><p>Donald Davenport was leaning against the wall next to Chase's door, having heard the entire conversation. Now he stood there with tears welling up in his eyes as he struggled to figure out what to do.<p>

* * *

><p><em> "Promise me you'll take care of them,"<em> _she said softly, her beautiful hazel eyes exploring his dark brown pair._

_ He answered immediately, with sincerity and determination. "I will."_

* * *

><p>Davenport placed a shaking hand over his eyes - because just then, he knew what he needed to do.<p>

Half an hour later, he had everyone gathered in Chase's room, its main occupant still awake but gradually growing drowsy again. Adam stood on one side of Chase's bed, and Bree on the other, who was fingering the strap of her sling. Tasha stood by Bree while Leo stood with Adam, and Davenport placed himself at the foot of Chase's bed so that he could address everyone else who were currently staring at him expectantly.

Closing his eyes briefly, he began. "It's been a rough month for all of us. But these past couple days have been especially draining." He sighed and decided to just get to the point. "Look, my past isn't exactly memorable-worthy. I've made mistakes, and then I've made _mistakes_. What I'm about to tell is one of the worst mistakes of my life, one that I've covered over with so many lies that it crushes me every time I think about it. And I know that once I'm finished that you will probably hate me forever, but please know that I love you all-" he looked pointedly at the three bionics teens, "-so much, and nothing would ever change that." When he took in the three teens' wary expressions, he thought, _Here goes everything._

Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth and-

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that happened. It was very short, and I'm sorry. <strong>

**Chapter soundtrack: Mother to Child by Rosita Stone**

**GUESS WHO'S BACK! His name is Two-week Wait. I think you guys have met him before. As I recall, he didn't make the best first impressions, but maybe this time things will go better. So why don't I leave you guys alone together so you can have some quality time. Adios!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Hi peeps! How was your time with Two-week Wait? Did you guys get along? Anyway, here's chapter ten, though I'm not completely satisfied with it. Maybe that's just because I'm nervous of what you guys think about my OC. I kind of wish I hadn't brought her in, but I won't back out now. Please tell me what you think of her so that I can improve her. **

**Thanks to my readers, reviewers, followers, and favoriters (that's not even a word but whatever lol). Oh my gosh! Only fifteen reviews away from one hundred! Thank you all so much; I never thought this story would be so popular.**

* * *

><p>Just keep on a-livin' an' keep on a-givin',<p>

An' keep on a-tryin' to smile;

Just keep on a-singin', a-trustin' an' a-clingin'

To the promise of an after while.

For the sun comes up and the sun goes down,

An' the morning follows night.

There's a place to rest like a mother's breast,

An' a time when things come right.

-Clifton Abbot, _Just Keep On_

* * *

><p>What if you were told something that changed your life forever?<p>

What would it be like to question everything about you - what was true, what was false?

What would you do if you found out that the person you trusted most was lying to you your whole life?

Stuff like that happened in movies; never would you imagine that it could happen to you. Never would you imagine that there was a secret so shocking, so impossible to believe that your life is turned upside down in an instant.

But it _did_ happen. It may not have happened to you, but it happened.

Now, Chase Davenport wasn't a vengeful person. Even if his life depended on it, he could _not_ hold a grudge (much to his annoyance). But that all changed, ever since Davenport confessed his deepest secret.

Or was it?

Chase couldn't trust anything his father - was he even their father? - said anymore. When Davenport came clean, Chase had been stunned, had even stopped breathing for a while. Then his faith in his father was shattered as easily as glass, and ever since he's resented the inventor - questioning everything he said, going out of his way just to spite him.

He could tell that his older siblings felt the same betrayal as he, but they forgave their father after the initial shock went away. They weren't close with the inventor, but they didn't distance themselves from him like Chase did, and he guessed that was why he was antipathetic towards them a little, too.

How could they forgive the man who lied - and may still be lying - to their faces? Even Tasha and Leo accepted Davenport's thousands of apologies and excuses.

Chase was alone in his family. Well, not completely. He had _her._

Davenport's big secret.

She was the only one in their family who hated Davenport as much as he did. She was the only one who actually understood his anger, the only one he could talk to.

Who was she?

Her name was Damiana Evelyn (Davenport) Stone, and she was his long-lost twin and bionic sister.

Davenport had left for New York a week after his "revealing" to break the news to Damia and her family (the parents, the bionics were told, knew what she was and where she came from) and to explain why they needed her help.

The inventor came back two weeks later, but he wasn't alone. With him came Damiana, her expression wary and nervous. Chase remembered the day she walked through their door as if it happened yesterday.

* * *

><p>Everyone had gathered in the living room; Chase stood a little way off from the rest, supported by the crutches under each arm. When Davenport walked in, Chase didn't smile like the others, didn't rush to greet him.<p>

Davenport seemed cheerful as he hugged his wife and stepson, but when he caught Chase's eye, his smile faltered at the bitterness in the youngest bionic's gaze.

Soon, however, the inventor moved on to Adam and Bree, but Chase wasn't paying attention because someone else had just walked through the door.

A fifteen-year-old girl about Chase's height stood awkwardly just inside the door, a suitcase sitting beside her. She had his hair color and skin complexion with a slender but muscle-toned body. Over-all, she was breathtakingly beautiful - and very familiar. He couldn't place where he'd seen her before, but he was convinced he had.

Their hazel eyes met from across the room, and something suddenly clicked into place inside the both of them. The girl lifted her chin in sudden bravery, picked up her suitcase, and strode over to Chase.

"Damiana Stone," she said quietly, sticking out her hand. Chase leaned onto his left crutch, careful not to put weight on his braced left knee, and crossed his right crutch to his left hand. Grasping her hand, they shook briefly, unaware that everyone else was watching their interaction.

"Chase Davenport."

Damia regarded him. "So you're my twin."

Chase shot a quick glare at Davenport. "I guess I am." Damia must have seen that they had one thing in common right there and then - their shared distrust in Davenport - because she smiled genuinely.

"I've always wanted a brother," she said.

Chase's lips quirked upward at the corners. "Now you have three. And a sister." Damia glanced around at her new family and home.

She looked back at Chase. "Sounds great."

* * *

><p>Four months later, and the two were inseparable.<p>

Things got better between Chase and Davenport, but they both new things would never be as they were. Even Damia, who missed her family back in New York terribly, was warming up to the inventor, albeit slowly.

Then there was the problem known as Harrison Garvy. For five months, starting the day after everything went haywire, things were quiet. No threatening messages, no baffling missions; Slim Girl and Steroid Boy haven't been seen since.

They still had missions that weren't linked to Garvy and his mysterious plans, but since Chase's knee was still healing and Damiana still needed to train with her bionics, only Adam and Bree could go.

But Chase and Damia knew that it was just the calm before the storm, and that, someday, the storm would rage.

The first lightning streak struck too soon, and everything burst into flames.

* * *

><p>"There's no way you can do it. It would take weeks of training just to get even semi-close to perfection."<p>

"I'm telling you: I can do it."

"And I'm telling you: You can't."

"Haven't I proven to you that I can do these types of things already?"

"Well, yeah, but not any this complex."

Damia placed her hands on her hips and glared at her twin who was sitting on one of the stools in the lab. Adam and Leo were sitting not far away, watching the two and secretly taking bets on who would win the argument. Bree was also in the lab, but was trying in vain to ignore her annoying younger siblings as she read a fashion magazine.

"Where's the faith, Chase?" Damiana asked, her eyes squinting dangerously.

"I do have faith, but we just figured out your main bionic ability, like, what - a month ago? And you glitch constantly whenever you purposefully try to use it, so please forgive me for being a little skeptical." Chase leaned back against the counter and smirked at his sister.

Damia pouted and crossed her arms. "But you guys said I was getting better."

Chase sighed. "You are, but-"

Bree growled and slammed shut her magazine in frustration. "Oh, come on, Chase," she said in exasperation as she came to stand by Damiana. "Just give the girl a chance to prove herself." Chase's twin looked at Bree and gave a smile of gratitude as the brother rolled his eyes.

"Alright," he breathed in reluctant assent.

Damia hissed a triumphant "Yes!" before adopting seriousness. "Show it to me again." Chase pick up a tablet from the counter behind him and tapped on it several times before turning it around so Damia could see it. A video played for a few seconds before it ended.

Damiana nodded and stepped a few feet away from the others, a look of concentration on her face. She raised her arms, but a few seconds later she swung them down and jumped at the same time, tucking her upper body into a flip. As soon as she landed, she adjusted her momentum and swung out her left leg in a kick before pushing off with her other foot into a sideways flip, sticking the landing perfectly.

Damia was smiling as she turned to her siblings who were whooping and clapping. Chase slowly slid off of his stool and limped over to his twin. "You did it!" The two high-fived and then hugged. "You actually did it!"

When the two broke apart, she exclaimed, "I know! I'm just as surprised as you are!" Bree, Adam, and Leo came over and there was a round of hugs and high-fives.

Bree grinned at her younger sister. "You were amazing!"

Damia smiled back. "Thanks! It was the first time using my ability without kissing the floor." Damiana's main bionic ability was called adoptive muscle memory, which allows her to copy exactly any complex physical movement she sees, such as martial arts, boxing, gymnastics, ice skating, dance numbers, etc. For the past month, ever since Davenport discovered her bionic ability, Damia has tried and tried and _tried_ to use her ability without glitching, but she would always, _always_ fail - usually ending with an epic face plant on the floor. So now you can understand why everybody was so happy that she successfully used her bionic ability.

After a few more congratulations, Leo said, "Well, I'm very happy for you, but I've got to go prepare for the dance tonight." After Leo left, Adam leaving with him but going to play video games, Bree pulled Damiana aside as Chase went back to the stools and his tablet.

"What are you wearing for the dance?" the older sister quietly asked. Damia looked sheepish as she nervously fingered her wristbands.

"Well... I wasn't exactly planning on wearing anything special..."

Bree blanched and her eyes widened dramatically. "Are you serious? You can't go to this dance like it's just any other party. This is a major social event! If you don't make an impression, you'll be a nobody for the rest of the year!"

Damia shrugged. "So what? I like being in the background."

To say Bree was shocked was putting it lightly. "Are you mental?" she inquired, tapping her sister's forehead none too gently. Not waiting for answer, she grabbed Damia's hand and dragged her upstairs, Chase watching them go with a raised eyebrow before shaking his head. _Girls,_ he thought before turning back to his tablet.

* * *

><p>Bree pulled Damia through the living room, and upstairs to Damia's room. "I can't believe you weren't going to dress up for tonight!" Bree exclaimed once they were in the younger girl's room, sifting through her closet.<p>

Damia watched curiously, from behind. "That's because I'm not a Barbie doll and- Hey! Wouldn't this be considered an invasion of personal rights?"

Bree pulled out a shirt, made a disgusted face before she tossed it over her shoulder, the article of clothing landing conveniently on Damia's head. "Yes, but I'm your sister so it's okay." Bree finished her search and crossed her arms. "Not even a single dress!" She turned to Damiana just as the teen was pulling the shirt off of her head in annoyance.

At Bree's intense glare, she asked, "What?" Bree tossed her hair over her shoulder and lifted her chin.

"You're a tomboy, I get that - and it's not just from knowing you. I mean, look at you!" Damia tried to disguise the hurt she felt at Bree's comment and looked down at her herself. "You wear no make-up, your nails are horrendous, and that hair..." Bree shuddered. "So last decade!"

Damia felt anger rising in her. _Well, so is your face,_ she growled in her mind. She knew it was a mean thing to even consider saying, and she regretted it later, but she couldn't help it. She was fine just the way she was. "I just don't get what the big deal is," she said, shrugging and pushing her anger away. "All this 'dressing up' makes me feel like a fake. It's too much work trying to make me something I'm not." Bree's face softened during her speech, but she was too busy studying the floor and scuffing her feet to notice. "I want people to accept me for me: fashion-impaired tomboy extraordinaire."

Bree came over and put her hands on her younger sister's shoulders. "But you can be so much more than that!" she said softly, Damiana raising her eyes to meet Bree's. "Dressing up isn't hiding yourself. It's showing the world the queen you can be." Bree smiled, rewarded with a small, grateful one from Damia in return. Bree dropped her hands away and placed them on her hips. With determination, she declared, "And I'm going to make you the most beautiful queen this world has ever seen."

Damia gulped. Why did that sound so ominous? She soon discovered why.

"So, that means we'll need to go shopping for a dress and a pair of shoes, do your hair, work on your nails..." As her sister rambled on, writing things down, Damia internally groaned.

What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

><p>Five hours later and Chase was sitting at his desk in his room, staring absentmindedly out the window at the city below.<p>

He would get that way sometimes, the others would observe - unwillingly pulled into dark memories with a blank look. Sometimes it would happen in the middle of a conversation, sometimes during dinners. While the others tried to help him, it was really only Damiana who did the most good. It took a few tries for the others to get his attention, but the second Damiana said his name, his eyes would refocus and immediately flick to her. No one knew why; no one except the twins. Everyone else assumed that it was just the bond that twins shared, and while that was partly true, it wasn't the whole answer.

To Chase, she was his beacon of light in the darkness. She made life more bearable when the memories tried to drag him under. She was the only one who could see through his façade, his brave and nonchalant exterior while he was dying on the inside. She was always there for him, and he was grateful because he didn't know how he would have made it without her. Her smile seemed to brighten the room and her laugh was so contagious. They seemed to read each other's minds - they acted as one so many times, finishing each others sentences and strategically moving together in combat. She became a part of him that could never function if she left, and he would fight with everything that was in him to keep her by his side.

To Damiana, he was the lost, mistreated puppy that flinched whenever it's master's hand came close. She saw the broken child inside, despite the fifteen-year-old body that learned how to hide it's true feelings. He acted like there was nothing wrong, but she knew by the dark rings under his eyes that he suffered. And it wasn't only at night, but during the day. She admired how hard he tried each day just to convince everyone that he was fine, but she despaired because of the reason why he had to try so hard. She tried to make it better. She tried to make him laugh as much as possible, tried to distract him from his mind as much as she could, but it was the times when he was alone that she was truly afraid for him because there was no one to save him from the memories.

A time like now.

* * *

><p>"Your little stunt a few days ago completely fried the nullifiers keeping your bionics in check. That wasn't supposed to happen." Harrison, aka the Boss, stood just outside ring of light created by the single bulb. Chase stood under the bulb again, but instead of his previous defiant stature, his shoulders sagged as he stared at the ground, his head slightly turned away from the adult watching him. "You're more powerful than I had previously guessed." No response. "So do you know what that means?" Silence. "It means that your family underestimated you, too."<p>

Harrison circled the teen with his hands clasped behind his back. "You have so much more potential than either of us realize. Your family was holding you back. You were never pushed to your limits because your siblings were always there to pull their weight. Well, that's not going to happen here." Chase remained silent, his hands tucked in his pockets as he scuffed his shoes. Garvy noticed this.

"We haven't... broken you already, have we?" Before Chase could react, Garvy was _right there_, grasping Chase's chin and forcing the teen to look him in the eyes. Chase's eyes flashed dangerously with hatred and he yanked his chin out of the man's grip. Harrison just smiled. "Ah, so there _is _still some fight left. Good. It'd be too disappointing if there wasn't a... challenge." Chase just glared. "Now, I think it's time for you to see the world as it really is-"

* * *

><p><em>Knock, knock.<em>

Chase was pulled from the memory at the sound and flicked his eyes to the person standing in his doorway.

"Hey, Dami," Chase said, sending her a small smile.

"You okay?" she asked before crossing the room and sitting on the edge of his bed.

Chase snorted. "Why wouldn't I be?" Damia frowned.

"You know you don't have to be that way with me, right?" she murmured.

Chase sighed angrily and got up to stand by the window. "I can't help it! Every time I feel like I can finally let the mask slip, the memories come back, no matter how hard I try to forget. Why can't I just forget?"

Damia looked at him sadly. "Maybe you don't want to forget." At Chase's sharp glare sent her way, she continued, cutting off a retort her brother was planning to voice. "It's not that you can't, but you don't want to. Whatever they did to you months ago, they opened your eyes. And you're afraid that if you bury the memories that you'll become ignorant again, and if you become blind to things again, opening your eyes will be just as painful as the first time."

Chase was looking out the window at the city during her one-sided conversation, trying to deny her words. But he knew she was right. She always was when it came to him.

"I saw the world for what it truly is," he whispered, echoing the words from his memories, his eyes unfocused as he withdrew into his mind to replay images and videos shown to him during his capture. "We're designed to save the world. But I never realized what we were saving it from until five months ago." His gaze focused and his expression hardened. "We're stopping the world from destroying _itself_, Damia. People are killed by people everyday. More damage is done than we could ever stop. We barely make a dent in crime, so why should we even try?"

Damiana paled at his question. "Because even more people will die if we don't! You stopped a nuclear reactor from _exploding!_ Thousands of people would have been killed and hundreds of thousands more would have been affected!"

Chase looked out of the window shamefully. Damia sighed.

"Where you see darkness, I see light," she said, standing by the other side of the window, facing Chase. "You see death, I see the opportunity to remember the good times before death. You feel like grumbling about what we don't have, I feel like celebrating what we do." She placed a slender hand on his shoulder and her brother looked up at her with sad, too-mature-for-his-age eyes. "It's all about perspective, Chase. And it's the one thing that makes us different."

Chase looked back out at the city. "What about traffic?" he randomly asked, noticing the business below.

Damia smiled. "You see traffic, I see the opportunity to work on patience." Chase chuckled but it soon died off and a frown emerged.

"I want to see the world like you do," he said, once again meeting her gaze. The setting sun shone through the window and illuminated the one side of his face and highlighted the different colors in his hazel eye, while the other side and eye were cast into shadows, a kind of ironic scene considering Chase's circumstance. "But it's so hard. How can you see a bright side when some guy murders people just for the fun of it? Or what about when a child gets hit by a car while chasing after a runaway ball? Where's the good in that?" Damia's hand slipped from his shoulder and then it was her turn to glance out the window.

"Maybe when the people were murdered, it woke up their family members and they realized they needed to cherish what they had before it was too late. As for the child, perhaps the driver was going too fast and causing the child's death changed the way he lived life. He was driving recklessly, and maybe that's how he lived, but when he hit the child, he changed his ways and started to live a better life."

Chase stared at his sister in wonder. Thinking back to the videos he was shown during his capture, he noticed that the family members of the murdered people were sobbing, but they were holding on to their relatives - sons, daughters, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, and the list goes on - with _everything_ they had, like they were afraid to let go. And as for the child, the little girl that got hit by a car, he recalled seeing the devastated look on the driver's face when he realized what he had done. Chase had never even noticed those things before then.

"How do you do it?" he whispered, studying his sister as if seeing her for the first time. Damiana stuck her hands in her shorts' pockets, suddenly nervous as she refused to meet Chase's gaze.

"A couple years ago I was in a... bad place. Kind of like where you are." She looked out the window at the city below. "I had a _really_ hard time seeing the good in things, and I was almost ready to... Well, never mind. Then one day, when I was at my worst, I met this kid at school. His name was JC." Her gaze softened at the memory. "He saw through my charade and knew that I was running out of hope."

"What happened?" Chase asked, genuinely interested. Damia smiled gently and met Chase's eyes with her own.

"He talked to me. He told me that I was never alone, no matter how convinced I thought I was. He said that there was _always_ hope - I just had to look hard enough for it. And gradually, I started to feel... alive again. I admired JC a lot because he should have hated me. It seemed like there wasn't an ounce of good in me, yet instead he chose to be my friend. One thing he told me that I will never forget was to love my neighbor as I would love myself. That's why I try to be so positive about people, no matter who they are or what they've done, because that's what JC would have done. After all, he loved me even though I almost became a murderer."

Chase's mouth gaped. "What? Who were you going to kill?"

Up to that point, Damia had been looking out the window, but at his question, her hazel eyes flicked to his. "Me."

Chase was beyond stunned. How could Damiana, his always-positive, bright sister, have been so close to killing herself? He couldn't even picture it, let alone believe it. While sometimes the situation seemed beyond hopeless, he'd only gone so far as wishing he would die, just so the pain would stop. But Damia... she'd actually _considered_ it. She might have even planned out how she would do it. But she walked away from it - no, she probably dragged herself because walking away from darkness like that was never easy, and it must have been agonizing. How many times had she been tempted to just give up and let the darkness take her back? Yet Damia managed to tear away from it's black, thorny tendrils until she finally stood in the light, torn and broken, but alive.

He knew she was strong before, but he didn't realize just how strong she actually was. And he admired her for it.

"I want to see the good in everything like you do," he whispered, breaking eye contact, "but I don't know if I have the strength." Damia gripped his shoulders, forcing him to look at her.

"I felt _just_ like you did. I even said the same thing to JC. But you have to believe that there is a light out there, waiting for _you_." She poked his chest to emphasize the last word. "And if you keep believing, eventually you'll find it. The road to recovery won't be easy or short. At times, you'll feel more hopeless than when you first started. But it'll be worth it, in the end. And I'll be right there with you, every step of the way."

Chase felt his eyes start to water with tears but he refused to cry. "Thanks, Dami. You're the best." The two hugged, both having lighter hearts, but for different reasons. Chase, because he knew he wasn't alone in his struggle and there was still hope. Damia, because she told a secret that she had kept for a long time. When they broke apart, Chase asked, "Do you still have..." H trailed off because he couldn't find the right words.

"Dark thoughts? Relapses?" she suggested for him. At his nod, she sighed. "Yes. I still wonder if life would have been easier if I had... you know. But then I realized that if I had, I wouldn't have a life to live easily, and I would only hurt the people I loved. Just keep that in mind. It helps a little bit." Damia patted Chase's shoulder as she brushed passed him. When she reached the door, however, Chase's voice stopped her.

"What about JC? Are you still friends?"

Damiana stiffened, her back still facing Chase. Turning her head to one side, she tossed an answer over her shoulder at him. "JC died almost a year after we met. Three days after his burial, someone dug up his grave and stole his body." There was a tinge of bitterness to her tone, showing that she still hadn't found a reason to see the good in the situation. "Probably some thieves hoping to get some money from selling body parts." With that, she walked briskly out of the room, not giving Chase a chance to voice the apology that was sitting at the tip of his tongue.

* * *

><p>Harrison Garvy looked up from his tablet at the knock on the door leading to his private office. "Come in," he said, tapping a few times on the tablet before setting it down on his desk, the screen black. The door opened and a young man stepped through. He was dressed nicely in a tux and his hair was slicked back.<p>

"The men are ready," the eighteen-year-old said, his hands clasped together behind his back as he respectfully stood up straight in front of his boss.

Harrison nodded. "Good. I assume they know the plan?" This time, the young man nodded.

"Yes. They're being briefed again as we speak, but they know what they have to do."

"I suppose you're here for you mission, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir."

Harrison stood, buttoning his suit's jacket together. Moving behind his chair, he tapped a screen in the wall, turning it on. On the screen were five images. "Your objective is her." Tapping on the last picture, the twin sister of the third bionic, the image enlarged and stats appeared on the bottom of the screen. "I don't have any intel on her bionic abilities. Your mission is to get close to her and find out as much as you can about her in two hours." He heard some shuffling behind him and he turned to face the operative. "Will that be a problem?"

The man shook his head. "No, sir. It's less time than I would like, but it gives me a chance to up my game."

Harrison glared at the young adult. "By all means, give it all you got. You do realize the gravity of the situation, right?"

The younger man frowned. "Of course, sir. Why do you ask?"

"I need to make sure that you realize that this is _it_. It's not a training exercise. Everything we've been planning for - it all starts tonight. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," Harrison commended. "Because my partner neglected to tell me about the fourth bionic, I've had to make a few changes to my plan."

"What about the brother? I thought he was the key to it all," the agent asked.

"Oh, he was. He was the distraction I needed to complete a few important phases to my plan. But now the fun's over and it's time to get to work."

The young man looked past the Boss at the other pictures on the screen. "Who's going to take care of the others?"

The Boss sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Natalia and Bill both made it very clear that Chase was theirs. Though, I keep telling them that they'll never get a chance for revenge because we need him, and the rest, alive."

"Understandable, sir." The operative looked a little wary to ask his next question. "What about the father?"

Harrison inhaled deeply. "He's mine." He turned back to the eighteen-year-old. "You understand your mission?"

The agent nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now leave."

But the young adult hesitated. "Do you have a message you would like me to relay to the men?" he asked.

Harrison paused, then looked at the operative with dark eyes. "Don't get cocky. Everything rides on tonight."

* * *

><p>The dance at Mission Creek High was extraordinary.<p>

Principal Perry actually agreed to raising the budget for preparing for the dance - only because Bree said that it would improve her standing with the school board of directors and she might get a raise for "generously providing the resources to create the most memorable night of the snot-eaters' lives."

Little did they know just _how_ memorable. Well, for a select few, that is.

Chase stood uncomfortably off the side as he watched people dance to the loud music. Unlike most of the other boys there, he wore only a black tux jacket over a simple t-shirt with jeans, due to his knee brace. He winced as pain flared up suddenly in the joint at the memory. Trying to distract himself from the pain, which dulled to a slight throb, his eyes landed on Adam, who was currently the center of attention as he did a dance that looked suspiciously like something the Wiggles do. Rolling his eyes, Chase looked for Leo, finally spotting him as he pursued after a girl he shared chemistry with; unfortunately for Leo, the girl had no interest in interacting with him. Get it? 'Cause chemistry is the study of substances and how they interact in the presence of other substances? Yeah, terrible pun.

Chase looked for Bree and Damia, but he couldn't find them. Then he remembered that Bree said she was going to take a while to get her "fashion-deprived sister to release her inner super-model." Her words, not Chase's.

Just then, the room fell incredibly silent. Chase at first thought that something was wrong, but he realized that everyone was staring at new arrivals. Chase quietly made his way to the front of the crowd and found that teens had formed a semicircle around the gym's double doors. His mouth gaped at what he saw.

Bree was beautiful, wearing a spring green, strapless dress that complimented her eyes and hair, which fell over her shoulders in waves. Jewels wrapped around her waist, and the dress sparkled under the gym's lighting.

But Damiana... she was stunning. Chase couldn't believe that the girl standing before him was his tomboy of a twin sister, who always wore her hair in a messy ponytail and would rather run five marathons in a day than wear a skirt or dress or heels. But looking at her now... he was blown away and he could tell most of the guys were drooling over her, which disgusted him.

Damia wore a light blue dress that went well with her brown hair and hazel eyes. The straps were covered in jewels, as well as the hem at the top of the gown and a thin line of gems wrapping around her waist. Like Bree's dress, it glimmered under the lights, almost as if gave off its own glow. Her hair was done in a loose side ponytail, which cascaded over her shoulder in soft curls, but some curled strands were intentionally left to dangle by her ears. She barely had any make-up on, but then again, she never really needed it in the first place.

When she met Chase's gaze, she smiled brightly, a small blush creeping up to her cheeks. He smiled back, but then someone nudge him in the ribs. Looking at the person who did it, he saw it was one of Trent's, the local school bully, friends. Out of the side of his mouth, he murmured, "Dude, your sisters are _hot_."

Chase internally made puking sounds, but all he did was just shake his head at the senior and turned back to his sisters. The music had started up again and people began to drift off, whispering about the girls that stole the hearts of almost every guy in the room. Bree dashed off to find Owen while Damia came to greet Chase.

"Hi," she said bashfully, rubbing her hands nervously up and down her sides - sweaty palms, most likely.

"Hi," he replied, still in shock at the transformation.

"Well? What do you think?" She did a spin, her dress flaring out around her, but she tripped on her heels and would have fallen if it weren't Chase who caught her.

"You look amazing," he said, chuckling.

"Sorry," Damia apologized, regaining her footing. "I hate dresses."

Chase was struck with a strong sense of déjà vu, but he shook it off. "I gathered as much."

A guy with slicked-back red hair, a senior by the looks of it, dressed nicely in a tux walked up to them, a small notebook a pen in hand. "Sorry to interrupt," he said politely with a British accent, "but I'd like your autograph." He handed the pen and notebook towards Damia, but she just furrowed her brow in confusion.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand."

The teen rubbed his neck nervously. "Well... I know you're not famous, or else you wouldn't be at a random high school dance, but I'm positive that someday you will be."

Damia blushed at his words, while Chase watched, completely forgotten, with raised eyebrows and crossed arms.

"Alright..." she took the offered pen and notebook. "Who should I make it out to?"

The senior smiled. "Kendrix. K-e-n-d-r-i-x."

Damia wrote down on the pad as she spoke. "Dear... Kendrix... my very first fan... thank you... for... your confidence... in me. Damiana St- Davenport." She handed Kendrix back his belongings. "There you go," she said with a smile.

"Thank you so much!" eighteen-year-old exclaimed. His gaze turned slightly more serious and nervous. "May I offer you a drink?" he asked, causing Chase's eyebrows to go even higher.

Damia smiled sweetly. "You may," she replied, giving a small curtsy. When Kendrix left, Chase turned to Damia.

"Okay, what just happened?"

Damia sighed dreamily. "I have no idea. I blame the dress." She raised her hand to cover her heart. "I feel something I've never experienced before... It has my heart racing, and is it just me or did it get really hot in here?" Chase smirked.

"Trust me, it's just you."

Damia swatted him on the arm. "Way to be the supportive brother. Seriously though, I think something's wrong with me."

Chase rolled his eyes. "I'm guessing you've never had a boyfriend before." At her shake of the head, he sighed. "Look, I'm not a girl expert but I'm pretty sure you just developed a crush on that guy. Which means I'm going to leave before I punch the guy for hitting on my sister." Chase started to walk away, but Damia called him back.

"Wait! Chase!" When he turned back to her, she was playing with her hands nervously. "What do I do?"

Chase shrugged. "Just be yourself." With that, he walked away.

* * *

><p>A woman leaned over a pool of water collected in a stone basin like a birdbath. The images that had played on the surface of the water had disappeared several moments ago, but she still remained by the pool, gripping the sides of the basin until her knuckles were white. Her face was shrouded by a white hood, but brown hair leaked over her shoulders in silky waves.<p>

"He forgot me," she whispered, devastation clearly heard in her voice.

"It was for his own good," a man's voice boomed, coming from a corner of the white room where the voice's owner stood, guarding. "We suppressed the memory of you until the time was right."

"I know," she said, still whispering. "It just hurts... a lot." A tear fell from under the hood and splashed into the pool below. Instantly, a memory started to play on the water's surface.

_She cradled her youngest son in her arms, trying to stop his crying. "Shh, shh! It's okay! Momma's here." But he continued to cry. "Chase, you'll wake your sister. We don't want that, do we?" She held him up to her face and brought him close until she could tickle his nose with hers. Her actions were rewarded with bubbling laughter that melted her heart. She continued to play with him until he started to get sleepy, then she simply held him in her arms, swaying gently and humming softly a lullaby her mother used to sing to her. Five minutes later, her son was sound asleep, so she set him back in his crib. She was playing with her baby's chubby hand when he suddenly squeezed her pointer finger, not letting go and smiling in his sleep. She felt a smile creep onto her face at the sight and she whispered, "I love you, Chase. To the moon and back."_

"Your time's up," the guard said, moving to open the door leading out of the room.

The woman sniffed and wiped away the tears on her cheeks before moving away from the bowl. As she stood outside the door in the white hallway, the guard remained inside, waiting for her to leave. She turned to go, but she stopped and faced the guard.

"Are you ever tempted?" she asked softly, playing with her hands. "To look?"

The guard's face hardened for several tense moments before his shoulders slumped and he sighed. "Yes. Very much so. But when I signed up to be a guardian of the Pool, I swore to abide by my oath no matter what." Quieter now, he said, "If I attempt to approach the pool, a barrier stops me five feet away."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I can't imagine..."

"I don't know how beautiful my little girls have become, can't watch them fall in love. I won't get to walk them down the aisle."

She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, having experienced the same thoughts with her children, but at least she got to see glimpses, however few and far between.

Suddenly, the man cleared his throat. He met eyes with her, his gaze sympathetic. "I shouldn't tell you this, but you need to prepare."

"For what?" she asked, her throat tightening in fear.

"Your youngest son." With an apologetic expression, he slammed the doors shut, and the sound of locks clicking could be heard.

"_NOOO!"_ she screamed, launching herself at the door and pounding her fists on the white wood. "_No, no, no, no..._" She leaned her back against the door and slid to the ground, sobbing. "No..." She didn't notice a young boy, about seventeen-years-old, walk up to her, concerned.

"Don't cry," he said, sticking his hands into his jean pockets as he gazed down at her.

"I have every right to cry," she gasped out to him, turning her head to look at him.

He knelt beside her and took out a handkerchief before wiping the tears off of her cheeks. "Why?"

She didn't know why she decided to tell him, but she did. "My son... I'm told he might be... joining me soon."

The teen furrowed his brow. "You should be happy."

She scoffed, a few more tears escaping down her cheeks. "Why? He'll never get to live his life, never meet a girl, never go to college, never get married..."

"But maybe there would be a terrible experience in his future that would change him forever. Maybe by coming here, he'll escape that." When she looked at him in confusion, he continued. "Life is so trivial compared to eternity here. There's no suffering, no pain. No tears." He gently dabbed at her wet cheeks, and she was too weak from her earlier outburst to stop him. "It's all about perspective. You need to see the bright side of things." He winked at her and stood to leave.

"Wait!" she cried, struggling into a standing position. "What's your name?"

He turned back and smiled. "JC." Then he was gone.

* * *

><p>"...then I did this awesome flip! Exactly like in the video!" Damia said, giggling like mad and hour and a half later.<p>

"You don't say!" Kendrix gasped, smiling at her.

"I do say," she said, captivated by the colorful lights in the gym that seemed brighter than normal. She lost her balance slightly, looking around as if she had a hard time focusing on one thing. "Wow. This is the best punch I have ever had. What did they put in this stuff?" she looked into the cup, staggering slightly before bring the drink to her lips and throwing her head back, the red liquid quickly disappearing down her throat.

"Would you like some more?" Kendrix offered, holding out a hand.

"Yes, please," she giggled, handing him the cup and tagging after him as he made his way through the crowd of teens to the drink stand. "You wanna know something crazy?" she panted as she struggled to keep up with him, "I feel like I can tell you anything."

The older teen smiled at her. "Yeah? Like what?"

"Like the huge secret I'm forbidden to tell anyone."

Kendrix glanced around them before leaning towards her, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Like what?" he whispered conspiratorially.

Damia leaned in, closing the space between them, and stared with bright hazel eyes into his green ones. "That..." She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. "That I'm older than Chase by four minutes and seventeen seconds." Kendrix's smile froze on his face.

"Oh, that's... a huge deal." He continued walking towards the drinks, Damia trailing after him like a little puppy.

"It is! Chase doesn't want to admit that he's still the baby of the family. By three minutes and seventeen seconds, no less."

They reached the punch bowl and Kendrix dipped the ladle in it, pouring the red liquid into the plastic cup. From a pocket on the inside of his suit jacket, he pulled out a square, white package, shaking it several times before ripping it open and pouring it's contents into the drink.

"What's that?" Damia asked, watching with wide eyes.

Kendrix glanced at her and flashed a dazzling smile. "It's a special sugar that's been made by my family for generations. It sweetens anything it's put into tens times more than other sugars."

When he held out the cup, Damia accepted it and glaring at him playfully. "So you've been spiking my drink?" she teased.

"Only the best for the queen," he replied, bowing elegantly before her, earning more giggles from Damiana.

"You're too kind, sir," she said before taking another sip.

"You know, you are truly an amazing person. I've never even heard of people copying exact moves with just a glance. Is there anything else about you that is remarkably peculiar?"

Damia smiled, bighting on her pinkie nail as she thought. "Well... Davenport said I have this thing called hypercompetence. It's where-"

"-the person can succeed in a certain field or in a wide range of fields such as strategy, mathematics, sports, art, et cetera." Damia looked at him in shock.

"You've heard of it?" she asked.

Kendrix shrugged. "Superhero geek." He watched her take another drink. "Anything else?"

Damia shook her head. "Well, Davenport said that I may have hidden talents, but we won't know what they are until they pop up."

Kendrix nodded. "I see. I guess my job is done then." Damia's brows furrowed, a smile trying to form on her face but would drop at each attempt as she tried to decipher what he meant.

"What?" she asked as she watched him pull out a phone from inside his jacket and started to text something on it. "What are you doing?"

He looked up at her and smiled that dazzling smile. "I'm filling out my report for my boss." At her confused look, he laughed, a sound that had lost its kindness. "Did you really think that we were friends? Like I'd be interested in _you_." He scoffed as he continued typing. "You're too naïve, too _weak_. I'd bet on my life that you couldn't even tell the difference between love and manipulation." He shook his head disapprovingly while a smile still remained on his face. He finished typing and turned off the phone, sliding it back into his pocket. Damia's heart pounded in her chest, and she staggered. "See what I mean? You're crushed by this silly betrayal."

Damia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Everything had been perfect; _he_ was perfect. Charming, kind - all a con. But for what reason? Then she realized what she had done and paled, looking at "Kendrix" with horror in her eyes before dragging her eyes to the cup that was shaking in her hand.

"Ah, yes. The 'sugar' I was putting in your drink wasn't sugar at all. In fact, it was a powder that dissolves in liquids, turning whatever drink it's added to into a very sweet truth serum. Cool, right?"

Damia staggered away from him, trying to shake the fog from her mind. She was surprised that the other teens around them haven't noticed anything unusual. That's when she remembered her family was somewhere in the gym. She set the cup on the table and turned to make a break for it, but Kendrix grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "The Boss wants this-" he slapped a piece of paper into the palm of her captured hand, "-delivered to your father. Make sure he gets it." Kendrix let go of her hand and backed away from her. A girl and her date passed between Damia and the retreating Kendrix, blocking her view. Damia tried to look around them but other people kept getting in the way. Finally, the couple moved, but when the bionic looked for Kendrix, she gasped and her head whipped from side to side, surveying the whole room.

Kendrix was no where to be seen.

* * *

><p><em>Dear, Donald Davenport<em>

_I hope you've enjoyed the little respite I've given you and your family. Well, that comes to end tonight. _

_Mission Creek Medical Hospital. Somewhere in that building a bomb is planted. You've got three hours, starting at exactly 9:00 o'clock tonight, to find it and deactivate it. If you can. _

_I hope your family is up to the task. How are they doing anyway? I'm looking forward to meeting the new addition. I do hope you're planning to bring her along. _

_ Sincerly,_

_ Harrison_

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa. Anywho.<strong>

**Chapter soundtrack: Look Through My Eyes by Everlife. This song is specifically chosen for Chase and Damiana's heart-to-heart moment.**

**Fun fact: Damiana is French, meaning "untamed." Just a little something that I thought would be cool to share.**

**Oh, and thanks to Pitch Black from Rise of the Guardians for inspiring Harrison Garvy and Hans of the Southern Isles for inspiring Kendrix. Did anyone catch the small relation to Frozen between Kendrix and Damiana? Hehehe, I had to, I'm sorry.**

**So, chapter eleven isn't anywhere near finished and I don't know if I'll be able to post next Saturday or not. The chapter may be posted a few days late but at least you'll know why. **

**And please tell me what you think of Damia, just so I can improve her character in any way possible.**

**Adios!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Holy crapola, guys... 103 reviews... I'm just like...0.0 You people ROCK!**

**IMPORTANT: Check out BTRlover1122's new story Crimson Roses! Pretty, pretty, pretty please with cherries on top?**

**Also, I'm sorry I haven't replied to reviews or PMs. I have been SO busy that I've barely had time to anything fun like writing, reading, or even just playing with my puppy. I'm serious. But I managed to get chapter eleven finished yesterday, so... yeah.**

**Thanks SO much to my readers, reviewers, followers, and favoriters. You all deserve some yummy, fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies!**

* * *

><p>You must take a blow or give one,<p>

You must risk and you must lose,

And expect that in the struggle

You will suffer from the bruise.

But you mustn't wince or falter,

If a fight you once begin;

Be a man and face the battle¾

That's the only way to win.

-Anon., _The Only Way To Win_

* * *

><p>8:59:59 P.M.<p>

9:00:00 P.M.

**3:00:00**

**2:59:59**

**2:59:58**

"Davenport! You have to let Chase and me take care of the bomb! We're the only ones who can!"

Davenport was pacing in front of the bionics, wringing his hands and running them through his hair.

**2:59:47**

But at Damia's suggestion, he turned sharply and pointed a finger at her. "No," he said sternly. "That's exactly what he wants."

"But we have to do something!" Bree exclaimed.

"Yeah, we can't just sit here and watch you wear a whole in the floor," Adam said. "I can make it easier for you and just use my heat vision."

"Adam has a point," Chase inserted, taking a step forward. "We need to get out there and _do something_."

**2:58:56**

"But..." Davenport looked around the lab as if searching for an excuse. Finally, he settled on the twins. "Chase, your knee isn't fully healed yet and Damia's bionics are no where near strong enough to go out in the field!"

Chase scoffed in annoyance, looking away in Davenport as he tried to hold back words that would definitely _not_ help the situation.

Leo looked from Chase to the inventor before speaking up. "Big D., if Chase and Damia are the only ones who can stop the bomb, then that's a risk we need to take."

Davenport looked at Leo. "But they're not the only ones who can stop it. I am a genius after all."

Chase's gaze whipped back to Davenport. "Really? Do you think that _now_ is the best time to gloat about your brain?"

Damia placed a calming hand on Chase's shoulder before turning to Davenport. "There's no way you're benching us. Not now. People are counting on us, whether they know it or not."

"Besides," Chase added. "Do you know anything about bombs? Ever study their structure in school?" When Davenport didn't answer, Chase nodded curtly. "I thought so." He moved over to the counter in front of the bionics' capsules and started typing on the built-in screen. "I can download anything and everything about bomb structure onto my chip. It should only take a few minutes."

**2:56:13**

Davenport looked back at Adam, Bree, Damia, and Leo who were staring at him expectantly. "Alright..." he said hesitantly, taking a deep breath to gather himself together. "Alright. Okay. Bree, use your vocal manipulation to call in a bomb threat at the hospital. Use any voice except any one of ours. They'll start evacuating the patients, and hopefully, we'll be able to sneak in undetected with all the chaos. Use this phone. It's untraceable." Bree nodded and took the phone, moving off to find a quieter section of the lab. "Leo, you have a very important job."

Leo rubbed his hands together. "Really? What is it?"

"I need you to check our gear and make sure we have everything we need-"

"Done," Chase said, walking over. "Leo, I made a list of the supplies we'll also need for every type of bomb available. Pack them into a separate bag for me."

Leo took the list. "You know... for once I'm not insulted that I'm the errand boy." When Leo left, mumbling to himself what was on the list, Davenport placed a hand on Chase's shoulder, gaining the bionic's attention.

"You okay, Chase?"

Chase furrowed his brow. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, it's just... with Garvy back I know it can't be easy."

Chase was about to shrug it off but reconsidered just as he opened his mouth. "Actually, it isn't." Davenport was thrown off at how easily Chase confided in him after months of rejection. "I was just starting to get used to the idea that he was gone, you know? That maybe I can start to let down my guard."

Davenport squeezed Chase's shoulder reassuringly. "We'll get him, Chase. It ends tonight."

Chase looked away. "I don't know... Something just isn't right."

Davenport refused to be daunted, however. "It'll be fine, Chase. We can do this." He paused. "How's the knee?"

Chase shrugged. "It's good enough to do what I need it to."

"You sure?"

Chase smirked. "Mr. Davenport, it's my knee. I think I can be sure if it's okay or not."

Davenport shook his head. "Of course, you're right. I'm sorry."

The inventor started to walk away when Chase murmured, "You have nothing to be sorry for." Davenport stopped, but when he turned around, Chase had already moved on to a different task.

**2:11:48**

Approximately forty-five minutes later everyone was packed into the family van, on their way to the hospital. Davenport was driving, Adam and Bree chose to sit in the middle row, and Chase and Damia sat in the last row behind Adam and Bree. Davenport had convinced Leo to stay behind, but the teen wasn't happy about it.

Chase leaned forward in his seat, sticking his head between Adam and Bree. "So what's Harrison's plan?"

Bree glared at her brother from the corner of her eye. "What? Plotting to blow up a hospital isn't obvious to you?"

Chase returned her glare but continued on. "What I mean is: What does he have to gain from blowing up the hospital? All these months of scheming and it all leads up to this? It just doesn't seem right."

Davenport glanced in the rearview mirror. "Chase is right. I know Harrison. He's got something else up his sleeve."

Damiana echoed her twin's movements and leaned forward in her seat. "So maybe it's a diversion. Keep us occupied while he completes his main objective."

"Or it could be a trap," Chase added. Davenport stiffened at the wheel before forcing himself to relax.

"Both fit Harrison's profile. Whichever one it is, we have to be very careful." Davenport looked back at his kids using the mirror. "Understand?" There were quiet murmurs of assent. "Good."

There was silence for a few moments before Damia spoke up again. "So if we ever find Harrison and catch him, how are we going to bring up evidence against him?"

Davenport paused for a moment. "I actually hadn't thought about it," he admitted.

"Yeah, I mean - without _any_ proof, Harrison won't even be questioned. He'll get away scot free."

Adam groaned after her statement. "I feel bad for him." The car grew awkwardly silent. "Come on, guys: It means that he doesn't have toilet paper, and trust me - when you're in a situation like that, it can get very ugly."

Bree scooted away from Adam with a disgusted look on her face. "Ew, Adam! That is _so_ gross!"

Adam shrugged. "It's true, though. When desperate times call for desperate measures, you gotta be a man and use your hand."

Chase and Damia slowly sat back in their seats, thoroughly sickened. Silence reigned in the car once again.

"How'd we even get started on this anyway?" Chase asked, shaking his head to get the mental image out.

It was Damia who answered, trying to cover up her smile once she understood. "When I said 'scot free', Adam obviously thought it meant something different than it actually does. Scott is a toilet paper brand. My family back home uses it."

Adam smiled and threw his hands up. "Thank you! Finally - someone who understands my genius!"

Damia whispered, knowing Chase would her, "I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted." Chase gave a half smile, but it faded once he caught Davenport's expression in the rearview mirror.

Bree and Adam started bickering loud enough to give a deaf person a headache, but the inventor was obviously not listening; his body was tense and his knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel too hard.

Chase remembered what Davenport had told him months ago about his history with Harrison Garvy. From what Davenport had said, it was _Harrison_ who broke off the friendship, not Davenport. Chase guessed that Davenport must still miss that friendship, because come on - the man had no friends his age. And having to fight your long-time-ago best friend can't be easy.

Chase was pulled away from his thoughts when his twin suddenly shouted, "_Enough!_" Bree and Adam immediately shut up, surprised by the force in her voice. Even Chase was impressed. "You guys seriously need to start focusing your anger on the enemy. We can't go in there divided or we'll never be ready for what Harrison throws at us." Bree and Adam mumbled their apologies but still glared at each other.

**1:47:32**

When they reached the hospital - well, as close as they could get considering that traffic was blocked about a mile from the hospital on every access route to the building - everything was in chaos. People were streaming out of the building, some being pushed in wheel chairs, some were still on hospital beds.

Chase, Damia, Bree, and Adam, who wore in civilian clothes to remain inconspicuous, stood watching the scene unfold as cops escorted patients, nurses, doctors as far away from the hospital as possible. There were sounds of distress coming from the patients, especially the small kids who cried for their parents.

Davenport ran up to them, gasping and clutching his side, but when he came to stand beside the bionics, his hand fell away and he straightened up in disbelief. "Whoa..." he said, eyes wide.

Damia responded with a quiet, "Yeah..."

Not only were kids crying, but doctors and nurses were also arguing with officers, upsetting the patients even more. Relatives of the patients were uncooperative as they tried to force themselves past the police blockade set up around the parking lot, screaming for their loved ones.

"If panic was Harrison's goal," Chase said, still staring at the scene before him, "he totally succeeded."

They stood watching the scene for a few more seconds before Davenport urged them into action.

**1:44:59**

"Come on, guys," the adult said. "We really need to go. Bree, use your super speed and look for anyone who's been left behind in the hospital. If you find someone, comm Adam and I and we'll get them out." Bree nodded and zoomed off, making her way past security and into the hospital via an "employees only" entrance.

Davenport turned to Chase and Damiana. "You two..." he hesitated. "You two are going to look for the bomb and try to disarm it if you can." The twins nodded and took off, each one carrying a duffle bag that held their gear. "And guys," Davenport added, stopping them. When they turned to face him, he hesitated again. "Just... be careful."

Damia tossed her hair, which was tied into a hasty ponytail, and smiled. "We will, Mr. Davenport."

Chase glanced at his sister with a smirk and looked back at his father. "Aren't we always?" he asked innocently before dashing off, Damiana in tow.

* * *

><p><strong>1:26:15<strong>

_"The upper floors are secure," _said Bree, her voice crackling in everyone else's ears. "_The rooms are empty._"

_"Good," _Davenport praised. _"But there's no sign of the bomb on Adam's and my end. Adam! Stop playing with those!" _Davenport and Adam yelled at each other for a few seconds before Adam finally gave in with a reluctant "fine". _"How about you, Damia and Chase?"_

Chase and Damiana were running down the halls; Damia was checking rooms on the left, leaving Chase with the rooms on the right.

"Nothing so far," Damia panted, having just finished checking a room. "This is taking to long," she said, meeting Chase in the hall as they paused to catch their breath. "Can you bring up the blueprints to the hospital?" she asked her brother, who nodded and touched two finger to his temple before projecting a three dimensional model of the hospital.

As she studied the picture, Chase asked, "What are you looking for?"

She glanced at him before looking back at the model. "I'm looking for a strategic place to put a bomb." After a few moments, she sighed and stood up straight. "The only place I can figure would be to put it in a corner near basement level. Unless the bomb is big enough that it pulses up and out, then it would be put in the center of the build, somewhere in the basement, and it would do a ton of damage. The entire building would become unstable and then it would fall apart or cave in."

Chase nodded. "I'm searching for the reports made when this building was being constructed, and hopefully there'll be something to go on." For a few tense seconds, all that could be heard were the distant sounds coming from outside and the twins' quiet breathing. Then finally, a dot appeared on the model before them. "There. A few reports say that that part of the building has been weak structurally no matter what they try to strengthen it."

Damia felt her heart start to race in anticipation. "Underground parking garage-"

"-approximately twenty-one feet-" Chase added.

"-from the southeast corner," Damiana finished. "Let's go!" She and Chase took off running, while Chase filled Davenport in on the findings.

"Mr. Davenport! We think we might know where the bomb is!"

_"Guys, you need to be careful. You don't know what to expect. Tell us where to meet you. Adam and I are on our way."_

**1:19:46**

Chase and Damia were the first to reach the parking garage, the elevators opening with an ominous ding to reveal a cavernous space beyond. Damia propped one of the doors open with her foot as she and her brother surveyed the lot, which was mostly empty. "According to the blueprint," Chase whispered, "we need to go in that direction." He pointed to the left, where a door was built into a concrete wall.

Damia nodded and went first, Chase following behind as he carried the gear.

"Who wants to bet that the bomb is somewhere behind that door?" she asked, wincing at how loud her voice sounded even though she was speaking softly.

"I have a feeling that anyone would agree the bomb would be in there," Chase said. "It's kind of obvious."

The two reached the door.

Damia suddenly noticed how humid it had become, sweat beading on her forehead and neck. Her heart was racing now and her stomach churned; it finally hit her that this was her very first mission. What if she wasn't ready? What if she wasn't good enough?

"The thing is," Chase started, his voice pulling Damiana away from her doubts, "what else will we find beyond this door?"

Their eyes met, dark with seriousness and lips pulled into a grim line. Damia took a deep breath and grasped the handle. Sharing another glance with her brother, she turned the knob.

Locked.

* * *

><p>Davenport and Adam ran down the halls, looking for an elevator that would take them to the parking garage, but when they turned a corner, they almost ran into two police officers.<p>

"Freeze!" they said in unison, aiming their guns at the adult and teen.

Davenport immediately jumped into action, concocting a story that seemed believable even to him. "Please," he gasped, "can you tell us what's going on?"

"Sir, we're going to have to ask you to come with us," the older officer said.

"Please, we were just visiting my wife and my son and I went to get some water but when we came back she and a lot of people were gone." Davenport forced himself to look worried - which wasn't that hard. "None of the nurses would tell us what was going on and then we got lost and everybody's gone and-" his throat actually closed off, which surprised him.

The police officers lowered their guns slightly as they seemed to buy Davenport's story. "Okay, sir," the veteran officer said, putting his gun away. "Sir, there is a bomb located in this building and we have orders to make sure everyone got out in time."

Davenport's mouth slackened and he was grateful so see out of the corner of his eye that Adam had followed his lead. "Are you serious-" he started to ask but was cut off.

"Sir," the younger officer said impatiently, "with all due respect, we need to get you and your son out of here _now_."

Davenport shook his head, pretending to clear his mind. "Yes, of course." He looked at Adam. "Come on, Jerry." Adam's eyebrows raised slightly in amusement but played along and nodded.

The younger officer led the way while the veteran took his place in the back, Adam and Davenport between them.

_I need to get to Chase and Damiana,_ Davenport said to himself, trying to think of any possible solutions but he could think of only one. He shared a look with Adam and saw that, for once, father and son were on the same page. With a nod, Adam launched himself into action, Davenport doing the same.

"Sorry, boys!" Adam said lightly, knocking out the young officer while Davenport took on the veteran, who proved to be a challenge but was eventually knocked out as well. "No hard feelings," Adam addressed the unconscious men on the ground, his fists placed his hips. Then he turned to Davenport with a raised eyebrow. "Jerry? Really?" Davenport rolled his eyes.

"Come on. We need to get down to Chase and Damia," the inventor stated, taking off at a jog in the opposite way they had been heading. "Bree, there are two officers in the west wing, third floor. They're unconscious and need to be taken to a safe place, but don't drop them off near any other police officers or the feds will get tipped off that something's up."

_"Got it,"_ Bree said. _"I'm on my way."_

Adam followed after the adult. "Do I really look like a Jerry to you?" The inventor's exasperated reply echoed throughout the halls.

"_Adam!_"

* * *

><p>"Did you really think that the door possibly hiding a bomb would be unlocked? They lock storage closets, for cryin' out loud!"<p>

Damia glared at her twin. "No duh," she retorted, reaching back and searching her hair until finally pulling out a bobby pin, a strand of wavy hair falling into her face. Bending down, she stuck the bobby pin into the lock.

"You really think that's going to work?" Chase asked skeptically, his brows furrowed in doubt.

Damia tried to push away her uncertainties, forcing a smile. "It works in the movies, right?" Chase groaned. If that was her explanation, then they were all doomed.

But surprisingly, a few moments later a _click_ was heard. Damia straightened before grasping the handle and turning it, yet she hesitated in opening it. Like the first time they were about to open the door, the twins shared glances, knowing that whatever was in there wouldn't be good.

And their suspicions were confirmed when Damiana pushed the door open to reveal a despairing and devastating sight.

**1:16:27**

"Who are you?" The two teens jumped at the frightened voice that came from behind them. When they turned they saw two little girls, both about five-years-old, holding hands fearfully; each held a different stuffed animal and dressed in hospital gowns, and one girl was sweating with a sickly olive color and dark rings under her eyes, but the other girl looked perfectly fine.

Both teens were grateful that Davenport hadn't made them wear their mission suits, which would have frightened the poor girls even more, but their bulky black bags would also make anyone suspicious.

Damia knelt before the girls her eyes soft and her smile genuine, while Chase pulled the door closed, leaving it slightly ajar but effectively cutting off the girls' view of the room beyond. "We're here to help," the older twin said gently. "My name's Damia. And that's Chase." She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder to her brother. "What's your names?"

The healthier-looking girl replied in a tiny voice, "I'm Arianna and she's Livia."

"It's very nice to meet you," Damia said sweetly. Before she could say anything else, Livia spoke up, her voice strained.

"He's scary," the little girl stated, half-hiding behind her friend while staring at Chase with fearful eyes.

Damia glanced back at Chase and glared at him. He held out his hands in a _What did I do?_ manner, but when she continued to glare, he huffed and walked away, removing himself from the equation.

Damia finally looked back at the girls, Arianna and Livia still watching Chase go. "Something bad happened to him, did it?" Arianna suddenly whispered, turning her bright blue orbs to the older girl. Damia was shocked at first, then saddened as she watched her brother, who had his back to them, stick his hands in his pockets and scuff his feet.

"Yeah," she managed to say despite her suddenly tight throat. "Something very bad." She sniffed then pulled herself together, looking back at the girls who now gave her their undivided attention. She spoke again, but her words were mostly meant for Livia. "He may seem scary, but if you get to know him a little..." she glanced at the stuffed animal clutched in Livia's grip. A teddy bear. She smiled. "Once you get to know him, he's just one big, fluffy teddy bear." Livia giggled, though it abruptly turned into coughing, and worry started to prick at Damia's heart.

"I like teddy bears," Livia finally rasped, smiling and glancing at Chase again, but her eyes started to fill with fear again. Damia noticed this.

"Livia, do you know what it feels like to want a friend?" The little girl nodded vigorously.

"But then I found Arianna and now we're besties!" The sickly girl said excitedly.

Damia smiled but then it faded. "That's good! That's really good! But Chase... he hasn't found his friend yet."

Arianna looked confused. "But can't you guys be friends?" Damia made a sound of uncertainty.

"We are friends, but I'll always be his sister, and it's not the same as a best friend, now is it?"

Both girls shook their heads dynamically. "I have brothers and sisters that tease me all the time," Arianna said, pouting. "They think it's fun, but it's not. Best friends never tease each other."

Damia felt the corners of her lips twitch. _Just wait till you're older, Arianna. You'll see just how wrong you are, _she thought amusedly, but her amusement faded when Livia broke into a coughing fit that wracked her tiny body, coughing so hard that she could barely breathe.

"Livia? Livia!" Damia cried, hands reached out toward her but she dared not touch her in fear that the little girl might break. One glance at Arianna, whose face was full of terror, and Damia knew something was horribly wrong. "Chase!" she practically screamed.

Chase, who had turned down the range of his hearing to give the girls privacy, never heard the coughing until Damia screeched his name, and when he did, he whipped around and ran furiously for the girls, noticing Livia's distress. He glanced at his watch as he ran. An hour and twelve minutes left. Time was running out, and he didn't know if an hour would be enough to disarm the bomb. But for now, he shoved those thoughts and worries aside and focused on the task at hand.

He fell to his knees, ignoring the shot of pain in his bad knee, and slid to a stop beside Livia, who shrunk away in fear, still coughing and gasping. "It's okay, it's okay," Chase said softly, his hazel eyes staring into her frightened green ones. "I want to help you," he said, holding out a hand. "Please let me help you." Several excruciating seconds ticked by. Damiana's and Arianna's eyes flicked back and forth between Chase and Livia, but Chase's and Livia's eyes never wavered from each other.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Livia finally placed a delicate, shaking hand into his large, steady one. Chase gave a small smile and gently tugged her forward. "Is it alright if I listen to your heart?" he asked, still keeping eye contact with her. She reluctantly nodded, he returned the gesture before placing his ear to her chest, magnifying his hearing so he could clearly pick up the muscle's rhythm. What should have been a regular _thump-thump_ was instead a _thump... th-th-thump... th-th... thump..._

That wasn't good.

Chase pulled back and ran his free hand (the other still held Livia's hand; she didn't seem to want to let go) through his sweaty hair, effectively hiding his worry from the girls but Damia was harder to fool. "She has an irregular heart beat," he finally announced.

Damia barely managed to stop a gasp from escaping.

"We don't have the right tools or medicine to even it out," the younger twin added, once again meeting Livia's scared gaze, but she didn't seem to be afraid of him anymore.

Damia went through solutions in her mind, but only one stood out to her - a technique JC had used with her, though she didn't know if it would work in a situation like this. She decided that it was worth the risk. Since Livia seemed to trust Chase now, she knew that he'd have to be the one to actually help. She'd just get it started.

"I have an idea," she said, meeting Chase's gaze. "Though you'll have to trust me - both of you." Chase's eyes had doubt but Livia's were filled with hope and that's all she needed to see. She reached over and gently grasped Chase's hand that held Livia's, bringing up to Chase's chest. After some rearranging, Livia's hand was flat against the spot where Chase's heart was, and Chase still gripped the girl's wrist as a gesture of comfort. "Now, Livia, I need you to feel his heart beat. Feel it and try to match it."

Livia's eyes never left Chase's as she tried to do as she was told. Minutes passed by, but no one said a word.

Davenport and Adam's arrival went unnoticed by the small group, but the inventor and eighteen-year-old did nothing to interrupt them. They simply watched; Davenport was panting softly and was bent over with his hands on his knees while Adam just stood there, barely winded.

Agonizing seconds ticked by... Minutes...

Until finally Livia's coughs and wheezing slowly subsided, her heartbeat starting to even out. When she'd recovered enough, she took everyone by surprise when she flung herself into Chase's arms.

After a second of hesitation, he gently wrapped his arms around her frail body.

"You're my hero, teddy bear," she whispered into his ear. Chase's eyebrows shot up, but when he glanced at his sister, who had overheard, she was failing miserably to hide her teasing smile.

Then his eyes landed on Davenport and Adam and he remembered the danger they were in. He pulled back and playfully tapped Livia's nose. "Well, as your hero, I am responsible to keep you safe." He carefully gathered her in his arms and picked her up before getting to his feet. "I'm going to have my brother Adam and my dad-" he stumbled slightly on the last word "-take you and Arianna to get some help."

Adam met Chase halfway and held out his arms for Livia, the girl climbing into them and wrapping her arms around his neck, while Davenport had done the same with Arianna.

Before Adam left, Livia turned around and faced Chase, still clinging to Adam.

"You'll be careful, right?" she asked in a small voice.

Chase gave a small smile. "I'll try."

"And you'll come visit me?"

Chase winked. "You bet."

Davenport spoke up next, catching Chase's attention. "We'll be back as soon as we can," he said to Damia and Chase, a glimmer of determination in his eyes and something else...

Fear.

Chase nodded and watched them go.

Davenport had glanced back once at his children who were still watching them and he was suddenly reminded of a painful memory.

* * *

><p><em>"Promise me you'll take care of them. Give them a chance to live," she begged, her beautiful hazel eyes determined, showing no fear of what's to come. <em>

_"You're coming with us, right?" he asked, desperation clearly heard in his voice. _

_She smiled sadly, beautifully. "You need time to get them to safety. I have to stay behind and buy you some time."_

_"But you'll die!" He felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes, ignoring how tired his arms were becoming from holding the two bundles she had handed him._

_"I believe there's still good in him," she said, her eyes now filling up with tears as well. "I have to try." She reached up and cupped the side of his face and he leaned into the touch, closing his eyes, a few tears escaping. "Promise me you'll take care of them," she repeated._

_He opened his eyes and stared into hers. "I will," he said, nodding. Suddenly angry shouts could be heard and both adults stiffened._

_Her eyes filled with urgency and she pulled her hand away. "Hurry! Go! Save my children, Donald."_

_He didn't try to stop the tears from falling as he told the oldest two kids to follow him while he carried the younger pair. _

_Glancing back, he saw her standing there, watching them go with hope and love as she stayed behind to buy them all the time she could, even though she knew in her heart that it was futile and she would never see her beautiful babies grow up._

_Giving one last bright smile, she turned around and braced herself against the danger she was in._

_Davenport looked away and ran with the children before he could see what happened next, his heart utterly broken inside of him. _

* * *

><p>Davenport turned and focused on getting the child in his arms to safety, but in his mind he vowed that he would let nothing happen to his children. He wouldn't break his promise to <em>her<em>.

**1:05:49**

Damia placed a hand on Chase's shoulder. "You did good," she praised.

Chase almost smiled. Almost. Then he was reminded of the imminent danger they were in. "Come on," he said, turning around (effectively shaking Damia's hand off) and headed back to the door, picking up a duffle bag as he went.

Damia frowned at his behavior but followed him and picked up the other bag, reaching Chase just as he pushed open the door.

They were silent as they gazed into the room.

It seemed so impossible. Wires covered everything, as if spiders ate skittles and spun rainbow webs while they were on a sugar high. Yet, despite the chaos, it was clearly seen that all wires led straight to a central point. And that central point was the bomb, attached to the boiler system in the center of the room. And it was counting down in big, bold red letters.

**1:04:51**

**1:04:50**

Chase entered the room first, Damia following, and they both studied the wires, trying to figure out where they led to besides the bomb.

But they were so busy looking up that neither of them noticed the booby trap until it was too late.

_Click._

Chase froze at the sound in horror, meeting Damia's surprised gaze before slowly looking down at the floor and finally noticing the pressure plate he had just stepped on. At first, he felt sad, thinking that he had just stepped on a mine and he would die; Damia obviously coming to the same conclusion because she suddenly gasped and covered her mouth soon afterwards to stop the sobs she felt coming. But then they heard it.

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

They looked at the bomb, gasped, and were immediately relieved (the pressure plate wasn't a hidden mine after all) but immediately they were filled with dread.

The bomb was still counting down, but now it was counting down at a very rapid rate; a minute passed every two seconds.

**1:03:00**

**1:02:00**

**1:01:00**

**1:00:00**

Chase pulled his foot off of the plate but nothing happened. The bomb continued to wind down steadily.

**00:59:00**

**00:58:00**

"There's no way we can stop it in time," Chase said, still staring at the clock.

"We need to try," Damia insisted, brushing past her brother and heading for the bomb.

**00:54:00**

**00:53:00**

As she knelt before the bomb, Chase had joined her and was studying the device, which was sprouting so many wires that it was very hard to see beyond them.

**00:50:00**

**00:49:00**

"Most of these wires are decoys," Damiana observed. "But we don't know which one or ones would set of the bomb or not if we clipped them."

"It's going to take too long," Chase argued. "We need to get out of here."

Damia glared over her shoulder at him. "Just earlier today you wanted to learn how to see the good in the situation. Lesson one: you need to have hope that there _is_ a bright side to all the bad." She turned back to the bomb and started moving some wires around with her finger, trying to see inside.

**00:38:00**

**00:37:00**

Damia spotted a wire that looked like it was connected to the clock. "Pliers," she called, holding out her hand. When Chase placed the tool in her hand, she gripped them and held the wire between her fingers of her other hand.

**00:34:00**

**00:33:00**

She placed the wire between the gaping jaw of the pliers. Taking a deep breath she squeezed and the wire was instantly cut.

**00:31:02**

**00:31:01**

**00:31:00**

Damia and Chase held their breath when the clock reached exactly thirty-one minutes... and stopped.

"Yes!" they cried, Damia jumping up and she and Chase hugged in relief, smiling and laughing.

"We did it!" Damia said, placing a shaking hand to her mouth, though she couldn't hide her smile.

Chase was smiling too - actually smiling. "We did. It's over." Damia's eyes glinted with happiness.

She lightly punched in his the arm. "We make a great team," she said. Chase was about to reply, but during the span of silence it took for him to open his mouth, the two heard something that made the blood drain from their faces.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Chase and Damia stared at each other with wide eyes. What they were hearing... it couldn't be.

But when they glanced back at the bomb in dread, they saw that the clock had come back to life, counting down faster than ever.

**00:27:00**

**00:26:00**

**00:25:00**

Damiana's heart fell like a stone. She thought for sure... It had _stopped_. She had seen it freeze. Where did she go wrong?

Chase was tugging her arm, saying something but the words couldn't make it through to her confused brain. She had messed up when she couldn't afford to make mistakes. She was such a failure. Why did she think she could save the day anyway? She wasn't ready, and she never will be.

She was forcibly snapped out of her self-pity when her brother smacked her on the back of her head, making her yelp.

"Wake up!" he growled at her, his other hand wrapped tightly around her bicep. "We need to run. _Now_." He dragged her with him as he made his way out of the room, never letting go of her arm in case she wouldn't follow.

**00:19:00**

Reaching the open door, he shoved her outside so he could grab the handle and pull the door shut as he ran out, never missing a beat.

**00:17:00**

He grabbed Damia's arm again as he shot past her, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

**00:14:00**

Damia's breath came in gasps as fear made it hard to breathe, but when she glanced at her twin, his face was expressionless except for determination to get to safety.

**00:11:00**

Suddenly Chase skidded to a stop, yanking Damia back by the arm as he did so, when three men clad in black jumped into their way. The twins jumped into action, relying solely on instinct as they launched themselves at the men.

**00:10:00**

Chase and Damia acted as one, covering each other's backs while simultaneously protecting themselves.

**00:09:00**

One down.

**00:08:00**

Two.

**00:07:00**

The third man was knocked down but not out, but the twins didn't care, bolting off towards the nearest exit.

**00:06:00**

Damia, who was lagging behind Chase, suddenly tripped over her own feet, crashing hard to the ground. Chase, who was running too fast, was yards away before he was able to turn around without his feet sliding underneath him and putting him in a predicament similar to Damiana.

**00:05:00**

He reached Damia's side and helped her to her feet, grabbing her arm and pulling her with him.

**0:04:00**

They ran and ran and _ran_.

**00:03:00**

Their breathing was ragged and their heartbeats were throbbing in their chests with every pulse.

**00:02:00**

The exit sign glowed red above a metal door, fifty feet away.

**00:01:00**

They were gripping each other's hands tightly as they ran, their eyes fixed on the exit.

**00:00:00**

...

_Boom._

* * *

><p>Gasping breaths.<p>

Wheezing, painful inhale. Rasping, breathless exhale.

Dust, everywhere. In her lungs, down her throat - choking her. Damia coughed so hard that her chest ached. The dust was so thick, she couldn't see.

She couldn't hear past the ringing in her ears, and her hand came away bloody.

Flashes of light - red against blue - reached her through the dust. A firefight. Her team against _them_. The evil side. She knew she should be helping her team. She _knew_. But all she could do was stumble through the dust, the rubble, her mind still trying to figure out what exactly happened.

It had been a trap. _They_ had been waiting for them. Damia and her team couldn't deactivate the bomb in time. They had failed their original mission. But it wouldn't be in vain unless they failed to defeat _them_.

Her ringing ears pounded with her erratic heartbeat, but she could faintly hear the blasts of the fight ahead, recognizing the red flashes as Adam's heat vision. She sensed rather than heard her name being called, and she turned around to see her older sister making her way towards her, dust so thick in her pretty, auburn hair that it was now a brownish white, but then she got tackled by two men clad in black. Agents of the enemy.

Bree screamed in frustration, trying to fight them off. They stuck a needle in her arm, and she went limp in their grasps.

One of the agents saw the Damia standing there with a shocked and scared expression, and spoke into his wrist communication wire. She turned, tears threatening to fall, and tried to get away, tripping over debris. A gloved hand landed on her shoulder, whipping her around. Through the dizziness that assaulted her, she reacted on pure instinct and grabbed the man's own shoulders and pulled him into her knee, jamming it into his solar plexus, winding him, then finishing him off with a violent punch to the temple. He fell to the ground, motionless.

Black spots danced before her eyes, and she walked unsteadily as she wandered around, still in a daze.

Another blast knocked her off her feet, her vision going black for a spilt second.

And then pain.

Burning, white hot _agony_ in her wrist and side.

Hot tears ran down her face, leaving wet trails on her dust-covered skin as she cried out. Her heart raced, beating achingly in her chest. She was panicking, she could feel it, so she closed her eyes.

Blue skies. Cool breezes. Summer sunsets at the beach. Her wonderful, if not sometimes childish, twin brother.

And then suddenly, Chase was there, leaning over her, his hazel eyes boring into her matching set, and his mouth moved, his words muffled but his voice soothing. He took her unbroken hand in his and brought it to his lean chest.

He told her to breathe, taking deep breaths under her hand, and she somehow understood, even with temporarily deaf ears. She breathed with him, feeling his steady heartbeat through her hand.

In. Out.

In. Out. Repeat.

Her heart slowed, the pain dimmed slightly.

Chase helped her to her feet, and she bit her lip when the pain in her wrist and her bruised ribs spiked, but she refused to utter a sound.

Only then did Damia realize that the dust had settled to reveal that their comrades had been subdued, probably drugged like Bree.

The enemy surrounded them, a dozen and a half, at least.

Brother and sister stood back to back, hands up, ready to fight. Together, they felt invincible. Seconds ticked by. No one moved, no one breathed. But then _they_ made the first move.

They rushed the two like flies, a well-trained, deadly swarm.

The twins fought valiantly, desperately trying to overcome the black-clad assassins. Punch, kick, dodge. Punch, duck, roll. Kick, back flip, twist. But punch for punch, kick for kick, the two were outmatched, even if they had the better skills than the enemy's agents. One lucky hit to either of them, and that would be the end.

Damia's feeling of fearlessness shattered when she saw Chase fall, knocked unconscious and then drugged for extra precaution.

Her heart stopped. She couldn't breathe.

Screaming his name, she tried to run to him, but strong arms held her back, ignoring her frantic struggles and hysterical cries of protest and anguish. She tried every martial arts move she could think of to get away, but when she escaped one set of hands, another took its place in restraining her.

Finally, she resorted to the old-fashioned kicking and screaming, part of it from the pain in her wrist, and the other part due to the unfairness of the situation. Her whole team had been captured, probably to become slaves or experiments to the enemy.

They got her pinned to the floor, pieces of broken stone digging uncomfortably into her back, and an agent rolled up the sleeve on her good arm. Damia writhed with renewed effort, and when she frantically called Chase's name again, her voice was becoming hoarse with the strain. She barely registered the pinch in her arm.

Fresh tears ran down her cheeks. They had failed, so utterly and completely. And it broke her heart.

Liquidly coolness entered her veins, spreading throughout her body. Her pulse slowed, her struggles weakened, her thoughts slurred.

Blackness, velvety, comforting blackness crept into her mind. Her eyelids drooped, her sobs grew faint.

She didn't fight the darkness - she welcomed it. A place to escape all that had happened, a place to just _let go_, even if it's for a little while. A place to be _free_.

But before she slipped into the oblivion, she whispered _his_ name, her twin's.

"Chase."

Her eyes closed, and she gave in to the darkness.

* * *

><p>Harrison Garvy was still.<p>

Throughout his entire life, he had perfected the art of not moving a muscle for hours while his brain worked through algorithms and problems concerning his company that he ran from the shadows. His executive officer of Garner Industries didn't even know who he reported to; instead, he sent his questions and complications by email to an address that couldn't be traced.

It was when he received these emails that Harrison would sit still, devoting all his energy to his brain as he came up with solutions to anything and everything that came his way.

But now... his mind wasn't running through algorithms or problems. Instead, he was focused on one thing: his plan was successful. And this one thought was what forced his body into paralysis. His old friend was in his custody.

He'd never been so close to the man since Donald had practically came begging for help. Help to hide the children from _him_. But when Davenport had realized that Harrison wasn't on the same side... the man had been furious, and after he had hid the children, he hacked into Harrison's accounts and taken _everything_.

Harrison had had no money left for food, let alone enough to pay bills. He was kicked out of his house by the bank, everything was confiscated in order to pay off the debt he owed. He was forced to work as a lowly assembly line worker until he finally raised enough money to build an invention that brought in twenty times more money than he could ever earn in ten years working that pathetic job. And so slowly, ever so slowly he built up his empire around the world, remaining hidden from even his company's board of directors.

And it was all because of Donald Davenport.

Harrison didn't know how he felt about the fact that the man who ruined his life was unconscious somewhere within his compound. But he had something more important to do than sit there like a statue.

Garvy reached across his desk and pressed a number on the landline's keypad before putting it on speaker. He got up from his chair and walked around the desk, his hands folded behind his back as he came to stand in front of the tv screen currently showing five separate video feeds.

The phone rang six times before the person on the other end answered in a garbled, disguised voice. "Hello?"

Harrison turned slightly and glanced at the phone before studying the feeds again. "I have them," he said simply.

The was a pause. Then, "That _is_ good news."

"We plan to start experimentations on Projects A, B, C, and D as soon as possible. However, Project D interests me the most." He paused, waiting from a response from his partner.

"Go on..." the distorted voice urged.

Harrison gave a small smile. "Well, you see, she's bionic, correct? But the chips implanted in them could not adequately work without the special pods, right?"

"...Right."

"Then how do her bionics work - not perfectly, mind you - but better than they should have considering that she has never been in a pod?"

He waited as his partner sought out a solution. "Donald gave her away as an experiment," the other man finally said, admiration evident through the garbled mess of a voice. "He wanted to see how the bionic would survive without her pod. Genius, but don't tell him I said that," the partner added quickly.

Harrison chuckled. "I won't."

"Anyway, her chip must have somehow evolved, adapted, in order to survive in the environment. It's completely unheard of but she's _proof_ that it must be true."

Even Harrison was intrigued. "I'll have my scientists take a scan of the chip in her neck."

"Keep me in the loop," Garvy's partner ordered.

Harrison smiled. "Of course." He walked over to his desk and ended the call before coming to stand in front of the tv again. He stared at the bottom two feeds; one showed the youngest boy strapped to a bed, unconscious, and the other showed the youngest girl in the same dilemma as her brother. "You two are special." He leaned closer to the screen and his eyes flicked between the two. "And I intend to figure out how."

* * *

><p><strong>So. Who's still alive? <strong>

**Chapter soundtrack: Razorface by Celldweller.**

**Again, I might be a few days late posting chapter twelve. **

**'Kay. Bye!**


	13. Chapter 12

**I am so sorry for making you wait two weeks! It's just that school has been so crazy lately. Honestly, a majority of this chapter was written yesterday and today. And it's really short too. But hopefully the next chapter will be longer and better.**

**I just want to thank all my readers. Thanks for your support. Because without you guys, I don't think I would have gotten past chapter two. So, even if I don't get to answer your reviews or PMs right away, I'm just letting you know that I get them and they really encourage me. So, thanks.**

**I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but I hope you guys like it.**

* * *

><p>The night is darkest just before the dawn.<p>

* * *

><p>Time.<p>

People complain about time all the... well, time. It passes by too slow. Or, it passes by too fast.

Seconds blend into minutes... minutes into hours... hours into days... You get the point.

We experience time mostly as a sensation. We can tell when it moves fast, when it moves slow. We can feel the day escape from us before we get anything accomplished or we can feel the day drag on and on.

But for Chase, there wasn't any time. He couldn't tell how long it's been, couldn't even keep track of the minutes that passed by, let alone hours, if it's been that long.

He didn't care though. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he should be worried but he couldn't find the reason why. His mind was fuzzy and it was hard to keep track of his line of thought once it got too complicated.

He was warm and comfortable and weightless and it felt _nice_. But every now and then he would feel his heart race because he knew, he _knew_ something was very wrong. Just as he was about to stumble upon the reason why, the warm, tingly feeling returned, spreading through his veins and relaxing muscles he didn't even know were taut. The warmth placated the unease, slipping him into the inviting blanket of darkness, which he fell into willingly.

* * *

><p>Pain.<p>

People complain about pain all the time.

"My feet hurt so bad they feel like they're going to fall off." "My back aches from all this heavy lifting." "Why won't the pain just go away?"

Pain.

It's everywhere. It fills the world to the point where no one, not even in the remotest regions of the planet, can go a day without feeling pain, big or small.

It bleeds into everyday life, whether it's a broken heart or a broken arm, emotional or physical.

Damiana knew she should be in pain, even if she couldn't figure out _why_. She knew the pain was out there, somewhere, but she could only feel pressure, on her heart and her body, as if the pain was trying to break through the barrier that kept it out and the lethargy and incoherence in.

She couldn't feel anything. She couldn't see anything. Taste, hear, smell, _nothing_.

When her solitude became too unbearable, she began to pound at the barrier that surrounded her mind, knowing that there was something, _anything_, on the other side, even if it was only pain because feeling something was better than feeling nothing. She wound punch at the barrier until her whole body was weighed down with weariness that her mental battle caused. Soon, cracks appeared, hairline fractures, barely visible but there. They would widen until things began to seep through and seep out. Incoherence replaced clarity, and pain oozed in, drop by drop until she could tell where it came from: her wrist and ribs, but mostly her heart.

Why?

Just as she was about to burst through the wall, she felt a sharp pinch in her arm and then noticed a cool liquid, which oddly brought warmth to her body, course through her veins until it reached almost every part of her body, weighing her down but at the same time making her feel like she was floating.

In her mind, she saw herself standing before the enormous wall that disappeared into darkness to the left, right, and up.

But then, as the treasonous liquid reached her brain, it took the form of a black blob with reaching tendrils that crawled from the darkness and along the wall holding her captive, steadily approaching the weak spot she had made. She tried to scream, but her voice wouldn't work. She tried to run for the wall, to break out before the blob stopped her, but she suddenly felt very tired, the pain and clarity beginning to vanish as the liquid continued to spread.

The blob's first tendril reached a crack, suddenly blocking it with aggressiveness, while at the same time Damia felt like she was being dragged under the surface of a black lake.

The tendrils searched out the cracks, filling them as more appeared to pull the main mass behind them. Soon, all her progress was destroyed, and the black blob finally stopped moving, having covered every crack, every fracture she had made.

Hopelessness clawed at her heart, but even that was pushed away as the liquid finally succeeded in pulling her under, dragging her into endless nothingness.

* * *

><p>Fun.<p>

People love fun. Unless you were a party-pooper. People go out of their way just to create fun to escape boredom. Impromptu games. Tag.

But there was no fun in the place Adam found himself. Even when his mind was still drowsy from his nap, he could tell that there was nothing to do. He could barely even come up with a way to keep himself entertained. It was as if someone had filled his brain with cotton balls (he'd always wanted to try that).

Bananas.

He didn't like the darkness that clouded his mind. He was a happy-go-lucky person at heart and this place was seriously giving him depressing vibes which was very bad for his hair.

It also sort of worried him when he couldn't open his eyes or scratch the itch on his nose, which was becoming agonizingly annoying. When he was finally able to at least twitch a finger, his mind had lost some cotton balls to the point where he could tell that he should worry about something other than boredom. But what was it?

Oh, yeah! He forgot to crack a short joke at Chase. But then he got really tired again and decided he'd take a short nap first. Then he would pester his younger brother.

* * *

><p>Defiance.<p>

It's in all of us at some degree. It's what we feel when we purposefully disobey a rule at school or a law of the state, when we ignore our parents' words of wisdom or unwillingness to submit to authority.

It most commonly takes the form of "no."

"No, I won't do this." "No, I don't want to." No, no, no.

Bree knew she should feel defiance. It was the only emotion she could think of. Yet she couldn't feel it. Not exactly.

It boiled in the farthest reaches of her heart, locked away by the drowsiness of her mind and body. It continued to boil until the pressure was intense, but it never broke out. She knew that if it ever did, she would break free of the drug keeping her under, but _they_ wouldn't let that happen.

Every time the dam came close to breaking, the fuzziness melting from her mind like fog in the sun, awareness gradually coming back to her, they would wait until she was _almost there_ so she could feel the prick in her arm that would empty the liquid into her body to drag her back under again. It was so frustrating, and she was sick of it. But then she would be forced into unconsciousness, her emotions dulled until she felt like an empty void.

The defiance was still there, deep in her heart, waiting for the wall holding it back to weaken until it could burst through and consume her. Then...

Then she would open her eyes and fight.

* * *

><p>Fear.<p>

...

It is perhaps the strongest emotion there is.

Fear can trick the eyes into seeing things in the shadows that weren't there, convince the mind that something lurks under the bed, twist the heart until it believes that it will always be alone.

There are too many things that fear can do and cause that we would be here a _long_ time.

Nightmares are the number one effect of fear; paranoia a close second.

Everyone is afraid at some point in their life, if not their entire life.

So, here we are with Donald Davenport, millionaire inventor with a huge mansion, a wife, and five kids.

He should have been happy and content in his sleep, but you see, that sleep was fake - forced onto him by drugs - and he was _afraid_... because he was reliving his past all over again.

He saw the good times, but the bad far outweighed the good.

He saw _her_ face, full of life and bright with happiness one moment, but then... The image was replaced with her pale face, lacking warmth and light as her eyes stared unseeingly at the ceiling. A single tear slowly left a wet trail down the side of her face before it disappeared into her silky brown hair.

Then it would start all over again from the day that everything changed, all those many years ago, when she walked through his high school's front doors.

He was forced to watch over and over and _over_ again as things steadily went from great to good, okay to not-so-okay, then bad to worse, worse to horrible.

He saw her lifeless body _so. many. times._ But his heart refused to grow numb, though he guessed that was a good thing.

Hope is the only thing stronger than fear, but his hope had died with _her_.

But wait...

He remembered what she had died _for_. Them. Her children.

In an instant, he relived every moment he shared with the original three: the times they made him laugh, made him proud.

So he did have hope. In the future. In what they will become.

Her legacy lived on in them, but he hadn't given it much thought until now.

He flew through their lives, seeing them grow in fast forward until they were handsome young men and a beautiful young lady.

Then Damiana came.

She was perhaps one of the most painful reminders of her mother.

They were so much alike that sometimes it hurt his heart to look at her. But she was the change they needed. She was their light in the darkness.

Their lives continued to flash before his eyes until his heart felt lighter and he wanted to laugh and cry and the same time. Then suddenly-

They stopped.

In their place there was a bright, white light. And silence, though it didn't last long.

"Donald Davenport!" and angry woman's voice boomed, causing him to jump and whirl around.

His heart stopped. His eyes widened and his breath left his lungs in a rush. It felt like he had been punched in the gut.

The woman that stood before him, the woman he once loved all those years ago (and still does), now had her fists on her hips and a furious expression on her face.

"How dare you separate my children!" Lucy Davenport growled, referring to Damia. "I told you to keep them safe, not to send one off into the world without protection!" Donald gulped. He'd heard stories and rumors about the wrath of mothers when they're child is threatened, but he'd passed them off and underestimated the power of a protective mother.

Big mistake.

Now he stood before the angry mother grizzle bear and, like an animal pinned beneath her furious stare, he forgot everything and cowered before her, stammering as he tried to explain.

"I-I sent h-her away b-because no one w-would think to look f-for her where s-she went."

"You think that's a good enough excuse?" she raged. "I know you're not telling the whole truth!"

Davenport winced and spilled it all out in a rush. "IsentherawaybecauseIwantedto-seehowherchipwouldreactwithouthercapsule."

_**"WHAT?"**_ Lucy exploded. "You gave my daughter to strangers as a science experiment?"

"Well... If you say it that way..." Donald knew he was a goner and he should have stopped while he could.

Lucy looked about ready to strangle him but then she took him by surprise when she suddenly burst into tears, closing the distance between them and wrapping him in a tight hug, which he quickly returned, tears blurring his own eyes. "I missed you so much," he whispered with a thick voice, burying his face into her hair.

Lucy smiled and held him tighter. "I missed you too." She pulled away and looked Davenport in the eye. "I'm only allowed to watch over you guys every now and then, but when I do, I can see that you're doing an amazing job with them. Though, I don't agree with locking them in the basement or separating the twins." Donald couldn't meet her gaze.

"Yeah, well. When you... died... I was messed up. Harrison's betrayal made it worse. I made some decisions that I'm not proud of."

Lucy gazed at him with her understanding hazel eyes that he'd missed seeing for fourteen years. After a moment of silence, she said, "I like Tasha. You two are good together."

Davenport looked up at her. "But she's not you." This caused Lucy to frown slightly.

"You know my heart belonged to someone else. We were - are - just friends. I'm glad you moved on though. You had to let me go."

Davenport looked away. "I won't ever let you go. Besides Harrison before he betrayed me, you were my only other best friend. And I can live with that, I guess."

Lucy smiled. "Good." Her smile faltered however and her eyes teared up. "I saw Chase, a while ago. Time doesn't exist here, so I don't know how long it's been, but, Donald..." She smiled at the memory before her eyes focused back on Davenport. "He was so handsome and grown up!" Suddenly she looked over her shoulder, much like she did when she visited Chase, but like Chase, Donald couldn't hear anything. "I don't have much time left. Just - let me talk!" She held up a hand to stop Davenport from objecting.

"I came here to warn you. I can't tell you much. In fact, all I'm allowed to say is..." She met his gaze with sad eyes. "Take care of my children."

He hated those achingly familiar words. They were always followed by something horrible.

But he nodded anyway, the warning tucked securely into his heart. "I will."

She smiled. "You have a good heart, Donald. They couldn't have a better man as their father." Her sweet smiled remained as she said, "Now sleep." At those words his eyelids grew heavy and then all he saw was darkness.

* * *

><p>Damiana, exhausted from her mental struggle, was dreaming, and in that dream, she was leaning against a gravestone in a cemetery. She was curled up against it, her leather jacket wrapped tightly around her to ward off the cold but it didn't matter. She'd grown numb to it as she rested there, her eyes closed. She should have felt the cold of the stone from where she leaned her head against it, her cheek pressed against the smooth marble. But she didn't. And she didn't care.<p>

The weather was bleak with an overcast sky and a breeze rustled the bare limbs of the trees and their dead leaves on the ground. The graveyard was silent as she lay curled against the gravestone.

It wasn't just any gravestone though. It belonged to her best friend. JC.

When he had died, she had visited his grave more often than her parents would have thought healthy. That's why they never knew.

In fact, she was the one who discovered that his coffin had been dug up and JC's body missing. She'd been furious and devastated at the same time. But his body wasn't the only one missing. All over the graveyard were holes. Police said that almost three-fourths of the graves had been robbed. In one night. It was the mystery of the century. No one saw or heard anything.

That was the only time that Damia couldn't find the good in the situation. She would never forgive the men who stole her best friend from his resting place, his home. No one knew what was done with his body, but she always felt sick at the possibilities.

So now, in her dream, in her tired and defeated mind, she lay curled against his headstone above an empty grave. She didn't know how long she lied there because nothing changed. It seemed as time itself had stopped.

"You once told me that you would never give up. So where'd the fire go?"

She thought she was imagining his voice. She was convinced it was just another illusion. "I don't know," she whispered, eyes still closed.

"You don't know? _You don't know?_" JC's voice wasn't angry, just surprised.

Great. Now she was having a conversation with a dead person.

"Yeah. I don't know." Irritation flared in her because the voice wouldn't leave her alone. She missed the silence were she could just fade away without a care in the world.

"Wow. That's just pathetic. I thought you were stronger than this!" The voice was trying to provoke her, but the anger wouldn't come.

Instead, she just sighed before mumbling, "I guess you were wrong."

Only then did the voice realize how hopeless she actually was. "Open your eyes," it demanded, but she refused. "Open. Your. Eyes." Finally, she relented, slowly cracking open her eyelids until they were wide open, but she continued the look at the ground. "Look up," it said gently, and she instinctively flicked her eyes up, and the breath was knocked out of her.

She fell back and scrambled away from the boy that was kneeling before her. "It's not... You... You can't be real." Because, in front of her was the one person she thought she'd never see again.

JC smiled and spread his arms wide. "Think again, girl."

Cautiously, she crept forward, a shaking hand outstretched to touch him. But when she got within a foot away, she hesitated before tentatively reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. The fabric of his shirt was soft, his body warm and _real_.

Looking back at his sparkling brown orbs filled with amusement, she laughed as tears fell from her eyes. Launching herself into his arms, she knocked him over, landing on top of him but she yelped when he suddenly rolled, taking her with him and laughing.

Finally they let go of each other, lying side by side on the grass and staring at the suddenly blue sky. The grass had grown greener, the air warmer, and the trees healthier as new leaves started to grow on the limbs.

JC rolled on his side, facing Damia, and propped himself up on his elbow, his head resting in the palm of his hand as he stared at her. Damia copied his movements, smiling brightly at him. "You're so beautiful," he said, causing her to blush and look at the grass as she picked at it.

But she looked back up at him, her eyes tearing up again. "I've missed you so much." JC reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I've missed you too." Studying her, he asked, "How long has it been?" He didn't need to clarify what he meant; she knew exactly what he wanted.

"Two years."

He grew sad, looking at the grass briefly before looking up at her again. "How are my parents?"

Damia gave a bittersweet smile. "They've moved on, but they still miss you."

JC tried to smile, but he couldn't bring himself to. "Bad things are going to happen, Damia," he said, meeting her hazel gaze. "You need to be ready." The wind picked up, rustling the now-green trees, as the sky darkened with storm clouds, mirroring Damia's emotions.

"I've tried so hard," she said, tears again pricking at her eyes, "but I don't know how much longer I can do this. I just want to go home, my _real_ home. I miss my _real_ mom and dad." JC listened intently, his eyes encouraging her to go on, to let it out. "Everything was so much simpler before Davenport dragged me into this. And he only did it because I was the wild card, I was the only one who could turn the tide. He didn't do it because he actually wanted me!"

Damia sat up. "And it turns out that my parents aren't my parents at all, they've been spying on me for Davenport, and I have _superpowers_! Or, as Davenport and the others put it, 'bionic abilities'. Now I have four siblings and a new set of parents. And not to mention that we've been captured by a maniac who plans to do heaven-knows-what with us." She buried her face in her hands, her brown hair falling like a curtain to shield her even more. "I just want it all to end."

JC sat up as well. "I know it's really hard right now, but you need to stay positive. The future depends on it." Damia let out a sneering laugh, causing him to frown.

"See? There's more trouble up ahead and it all depends on me and my positiveness."

JC stared at her. "That's not a word."

Damia, who still had her face covered by her hands, muttered, "It should be."

"Well, it isn't."

"I don't care."

"You should."

"Make me."

"Oh, you really want to go there?" Damiana's hands fell away from her face and she stuck out her tongue in defiance at him. "Oh, no you didn't!" he said in a mock attempt at an over exaggerated, spoiled teenage girl's voice.

Damia laughed but it quickly turned into a yelp when he lunged for her, knocking her over and attacking her sides, tickling her. She tried to fight him off as she laughed, unable to catch her breath. Finally she managed to push him away and scrambled to her feet, smiling as she ran.

Suddenly she was lifted into the air as JC's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her against him as he spun her around. Their laughter echoed on the wind and they never noticed as the graveyard was replaced by a hill with a wide green field below.

JC finally put Damia down and she when she turned to face him, she playfully pushed him away but to her surprise he actually fell over... and dragged her with him. She squeaked as she fell on top of him, her eyes wide.

"I am _so_ sor-" her apology stuck in her throat when she caught the mischievous glint in his eye and she looked at where they were. "Oh no..." She tried to get up but it was too late. JC had his arms wound around her and with a laugh, he sent them rolling down the hill towards the field below.

Damia's arms wrapped tightly around JC and she gripped his shirt as they rolled, her face buried in the crook of his neck. Thankfully, the hill wasn't that steep or tall and they soon rolled to a stop, JC landing on top and her on the bottom.

The world was still spinning to her, and the only thing keeping her grounded was JC, who she still gripped firmly, refusing to let go. She didn't dare to open her eyes because she new the sky would be spinning and she really didn't want to puke all over JC.

"Can't... Breathe..." JC gasped, and she instantly let go in horror but it faded at his teasing smile.

"I am so getting you back for... that..." Her anger melted away as she stared into his bright brown eyes and loved the way some of his brown hair fell into them. She felt her heartbeat start to race ever so slightly and she couldn't breathe. She wished she could freeze that moment forever. But it didn't last, because then JC smiled and pushed himself off of her, getting to his feet before bending down and helping her to her own.

"Damiana Stone, I think you've put a spell on me." JC flashed a charming smile that made her knees go weak.

Damia grinned and nervously tucked a piece of wavy hair behind her ear. "Yeah?"

JC smiled and moved in closer, bending his head until their foreheads touched. "I think I might want to kiss you."

Damia closed her eyes and titled her head up slightly. "I might be a bad kisser," she said quietly.

JC smiled. "I guess there's only one way to find out." He gently pressed his lips to hers, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Damia's right hand softly gripped the hair at the base of his head while her other hand rested on his chest, feeling his heartbeat through her palm. She could barely breathe and her heart raced in her chest. Everything else melted away and the only thing that mattered was that moment.

JC kept the kiss tender, never letting himself get out of control because she wasn't just another girl. She was his girl, and he didn't want to be just any other boy that gets with a pretty girl just because of her looks and never once respects her for who she _really_ was. He knew how special the girl he held in his arms was and he intended to treat her with respect.

He finally pulled away, leaving them both breathless, their foreheads once again pressed together. "You're an amazing kisser," he said with a small smile.

"You're not so bad yourself," Damia breathed, still lost in the moment.

JC pulled her to him in a tight hug, burying his face into her hair. Damia, surprised, returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'll wait for you," he whispered.

Damia held tighter, knowing that this was goodbye. "How long until I see you again?"

"I don't know."

"I'll wait for you too, you know," she whispered back.

"I know." Damia squeezed her eyes shut, a few tears slipping down her cheeks.

Then JC whispered something in her ear that took her off guard: "I think it's time for you to wake up."

His weight against her disappeared but the feeling of his touch and the warmth of his breath on her ear didn't as she returned from her "dream." And to the surprise of the doctors in white lab coats that scurried around her as she lay on a metal table, restrained with nearly a dozen wires connected to her, she did something that she shouldn't have been able to do.

She opened her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter soundtrack: Everything Goes Black by Skillet<strong>

**So, hopefully chapter thirteen won't take two weeks to complete but I'm not positive. **

**I can assure you that there are less than ten chapters left in the story, but more than three. So, Fight Forever is coming up on it's climax. And sadly, it's end.**

**Well, on that happy note... goodbye!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Okay, so I really hope you like this chapter, but ya never know. **

**Anyway, thanks to all my faithful readers and reviewers! **

**Enjoy the show...**

* * *

><p>We won't raise that white flag!<p>

We won't run or turn back.

We will hold on and never surrender.

We'll be strong and courageous 'cause nothing and break us!

-Anthem Lights, 'Fight Forever'

* * *

><p>Everything happened so fast.<p>

The straps restraining her to the cold metal table suddenly weren't there, having been turned to dust just as she wished them _gone_.

Men shouted frantically, scrambling for syringes and reaching to hold her down.

Adrenaline pumping, Damia swatted hands away, sending a man backpedaling with a fierce kick to the chest. She rolled off the table, effectively ripping out the wires attached to her, and landed in a crouch before she swung out her legs and knocked a man's feet from underneath him, a loud crack signaling where his head made contact with the cement floor.

Two doctors lunged for her, but she dived out of the way, tucking herself into a hand spring which she landed perfectly, her finger tips touching the ground to steady herself as she crouched. The two men couldn't stop themselves in time and crashed into each other, landing in a tangled pile of limbs.

There were three more doctors left, and one of them was jogging toward a lever in the wall that would sound the alarm.

Damia jumped up and ran, vaulting over the metal table and striking out with her left foot, catching the man in the jaw and knocking him aside just before he reached the lever. He got back up, however, and swung a fist at Damia, which she easily dodged. While he stumbled from his own momentum, she punched him twice in the gut and slammed her fist into his temple, knocking the man unconscious.

While she was distracted, one of the two doctors left had sneaked up behind her and now he made his move and wrapped an arm around her neck in a headlock. Damia gasped for air and pulled at the arm choking her but it wouldn't budge. She saw the last doctor approaching her with a syringe in his hand.

She refused to go under again, so she grabbed the wrist restraining her, stepped to the side, and placed her right foot behind his right leg. From there, she bent down, dragging him with her, and turned her head till she pulled it free from his arm, still gripping his wrist. As she straightened, she yanked his arm behind his back, causing him to cry out.

The doctor with the needle rushed to help, but Damia shoved the man she held captive forward and into the other man, knocking each other down.

Damia bolted for the door, but it was locked. She let out a desperate cry as she rattled the door knob. When she glanced back, several doctors were struggling upright, clutching various parts of their bodies in pain. She turned back to the door and a rush of hot anger surged through her. For a split second, she imagined the door had disappeared so she could just walk out. Then-

_Poof!_

Covered in door dust, Damia stood there with wide eyes, first noticing the hallway beyond but then watching as dust that had once been a door slowly spread through the air. The only thing left of the door was its door knob, which was clutched in her hand.

What just happened?

But before she could dwell on it, one of the doctors shouted, "Get her!"

Glancing back, she saw several men advance on her and another heading for the alarm. As she sprang through the doorway, her only thought was, _Crap. I should have poofed that thing too_, just as sirens and red lights came to life.

She had yet to come across another door as she ran. Where was she? It obviously wasn't a hospital.

When she came to a crossroads, she skidded to a stop, breathless. Which way? Damia heard shouts behind her and knew that going back wasn't an option. So she went right.

_Come on, guys!_ she cried in her mind, anxious to find her family. _Where are you?_

* * *

><p>"Sir," and agent said, gaining the attention of his boss, "one of the experiments escaped."<p>

Harrison hummed. "Interesting."

The younger man shifted uncomfortably, waiting. When Harrison remained silent and thoughtful, the agent cleared his throat. "Sir. Would you like us to contain her?"

Harrison perked up at the last word. "Her? Project B?"

The agent shook his head. "No, sir. I believe it's the younger girl."

Harrison's eyebrows arched. "Is that so? Well, in that case... leave her. When she finds the others, herd them into the 'arena,' but do not engage."

The agent furrowed his brow. "Sir, no disrespect, but are you sure you want them in there? Aren't you afraid that they'll destroy the-"

"Are you questioning my orders, agent?" Harrison interrupted, eyes blazing.

The younger man seemed to shrink away in fear. "N-no," he sputtered.

Harrison lifted his chin slightly, a small smug smile on his face. "I didn't think so. You're dismissed."

The agent nodded vigorously and hurried out the door.

Harrison pinched the bride of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. He just hoped that the man wasn't stupid enough to forget the orders given.

Harrison stood and pressed a button in the wall that connected to a private line. Across the compound, four people stopped what they were doing when their wrist comms. came to life.

Harrison paused for effect. Then, "It's time."

Two teens, a boy and a girl, glanced at each other and smiled. A Mexican narrowed his eyes and cracked his knuckles. And lastly, a handsome young man with red hair grinned crookedly.

It was time.

* * *

><p>Damiana couldn't find her family. In fact, she couldn't even find a door.<p>

The shouting had stopped so she figured she lost them somewhere. This place was so confusing that it wouldn't surprise her if the people _who worked there_ got lost.

Everything was the same. Same white walls, same tiled floor, same bland lights. She turned a corner.

There! A door!

It was already open, and she approached it cautiously, her back pressed to the wall. She heard crackling chatter that came from a radio system coming from inside the room. When she reached the end of the wall, she slowly peeked her head in.

The room was empty of people, a computer chair slowly winding down from a spin. Someone had left just moments before she arrived.

She walked carefully into the room, studying it. Papers were strewn all over the desks. A half-eaten donut and a full cup of coffee were abandoned by a set of screens that showed the security footage of the compound.

Seeing the donut, she suddenly realized how hungry she was, but she ignored her rumbling stomach and focused on the screens. The cameras showed several rooms, including the rooms that contained her family.

They were knocked out, pumped with drugs just like she had been. Her siblings were hooked up to various machines while doctors scurried around them.

And then, right before her eyes, the doctors stopped whatever they were doing and left the rooms, one man in each room stayed behind to check her siblings' vitals and adjusted something on one of their machines before they left as well.

_Where are they going?_ she wondered, not that she was complaining - it made it easier to get her siblings out - but still... it was strange.

In the bottom right corner of each screen there was a number. Damia spotted a floor plan of the compound among the papers on the desk. Each room was labeled with a number that corresponded with the video fees. So, the people _did_ get lost in their own building and made a map. Smart, but also stupid.

The room she was in also had a video feed, and she watched herself watching the screens before she read the number in the corner and looked for it on the map. From there, she found her siblings' and Davenport's rooms. They weren't that far way from where she was.

Damia quickly memorized (thanks to her hypercompetence) the routes to their rooms, but folded the map and tucked it into her jeans pocket just in case. On her way out of the room, something caught her eye that made her freeze. As she approached the object on the wall, all she could think of was, _No... This isn't right._ The calendar she was staring at was turned to July. When they tried to stop the bomb, it had been the beginning of June...

Damia shook her head. Someone must have accidentally flipped to the wrong month. Trying to calm her racing heart, she looked around for something that would prove that they'd been captured only for a few days, a week at the max.

She spotted an iPhone discarded on one of the desks. _Stupid_, she thought, referring to the owner as she picked up the phone. She turned it on and slid her thumb across the screen, granted access into the phone immediately. _It's amazing this guy still has his job. He's so sloppy._

Damia looked for the calendar on Sloppy Larry's (her personal nickname for the dude) phone, convinced that the calendar on the wall was just a mistake. But when she finally found it and tapped on the icon, she was instantly dismayed when the date popped up. Not only was it _July_... it was also halfway through the month.

A month and a half.

Damiana was shocked. It'd felt like only a few days... Then she remembered something. Or more like _some ones._

Tasha and Leo.

Her stepmom and stepbrother were home alone for _a month and a half_, waiting at first for them to come home. Damia's eyes widened.

The bomb.

The two had known that the rest of the family was going to try to stop it. But then it had exploded and Tasha and Leo... Damia swallowed thickly. Tasha and Leo probably believed that their family had died in the explosion.

Damia thought about calling home but she held back, her strategic and rational brain pushing through.

If she called Tasha to let her know that they were alive but then they went and got themselves killed for real, it would just cause Tasha and Leo more grief.

Damia hated leaving them in the dark, but she knew it was for the best. She pocketed the phone in case she would need it later.

Feeling sudden urgency, she jogged out of the room and raced to rescue her family.

* * *

><p>Donald felt a sharp pain in his left hand. He simply thought, <em>Ow<em>, then tried to go back to sleep, ignoring whoever-it-was as they started to shake him. When the person realized that their current method wasn't working, they slapped him. The result was instantaneous.

Donald shot up, screaming, "NOT THE FACE!"

He felt incredibly drowsy soon after but now that he was awake, he couldn't fall back to sleep.

He looked to his right and saw Damia standing by his bedside with a smug look on her face. "You should be embarrassed," was all she said.

Davenport glared at her as he slid off the table, having already been released from the straps by Damia. When he stood, he clutched his pounding head, an aftereffect of the drug that sedated him. "Where are we?" he asked, surveying the room.

"Harrison's evil layer, I'm assuming," his daughter said, losing her smirk.

Davenport nodded. "Do you know how long we've been here?"

Damia swallowed. "A month and a half," she said quietly.

Davenport's eyes bulged. "_What?_" He looked around the room. "I need to contact Tasha!"

Damia watched him investigate the room for a phone but she wasn't worried. She had anticipated his questions beforehand, along with his reactions, and had already searched the room. There wasn't a phone and she wasn't about to tell him of the phone in her pocket.

Davenport gave up with a sigh of defeat. "Where is everyone?" he asked, noticing the lack of unconscious bodies or guards swarming upon them. He saw the red lights flashing in the hall, but the sirens had been suspiciously turned off almost ten minutes ago.

"Gone," was Damia's answer. He knew that she was as clueless as he. "But we have more pressing matters."

"Adam, Bree, and Chase." Damia nodded. She pulled out a folded piece of paper, handing it to the inventor.

"This is the floor plan for the building. Adam is here," - she pointed to a number on the map - "and Bree is here." Another indication. "I've got Chase."

"And we'll meet up here," Davenport added, pointing to an intersection of hallways. Damia memorized the route and nodded.

As she walked out the door, Davenport called her back. "Just... Be careful, okay?"

Damia smirked. "I will." Then she was gone.

Davenport sighed before leaving as well, but headed in the opposite direction of his daughter.

* * *

><p>Damia jogged through the halls, constantly aware of the lack of human beings.<p>

She arrived at the door leading to Chase's room, but when she tried the handle, it was locked. Frustrated, she closed her eyes and concentrated, pouring all her emotions into her concentration. She wanted the door gone, disappeared, poofed. As soon as she finished the thought, the door disintegrated into dust, revealing Chase as he lay comatose on the metal table, strapped drown while machines whirred around him.

Damia rushed to his side and pulled out wires and tubes before taking off the straps. Once she was sure he was unhooked from everything, she shook him hard by the shoulders, hoping she wouldn't have to slap him like she did with Davenport. Thankfully, she was rewarded with some mumbling from her brother after several seconds of shaking.

"Come on, Chase!" she pleaded. "Wake up!" Chase finally opened his eyes, squinting at the light and blinking several times.

"Dami?" he croaked, trying to focus on her face.

"Yes, silly. Now get your butt moving and let's get out of here."

* * *

><p>Chase and Damia were almost to the rendezvous point when they heard footsteps coming from the direction the two were heading. <em>A lot<em> of footsteps.

Damia and Chase instantly reversed direction, running silently back the way they came. They could still hear the footsteps, but they didn't seem to be getting any closer.

The twins came to another intersection and turned right, but Chase grabbed Damia's arm and pulled her back when his hearing picked up footsteps in that direction as well.

They whipped around and ran straight, crossing into the third hallway. They suddenly skidded to a halt when the first man of many rounded a corner, coming straight at them. They were forced to take the final hallway, running side-by-side.

"There's no one in this hallway," Chase whispered. "Why?" He already figured what the answer could be, but he wanted his sister to confirm it.

"They're pushing us to where they want us to go," she replied, mirroring his thought completely.

When they came to intersections, they almost never got to go in the direction they chose. Sometimes they were forced to go right, sometimes left. Just when they were getting tired of being treated like sheep, the hallway they were in abruptly ended, dumping them into a large room with a glass roof for a ceiling. Seconds later, Davenport, Adam, and Bree burst in from an opening to their right.

Before a happy reunion could start, a voice boomed throughout the enclosed space. "Ah! I'm so glad you all could make it!" The family looked across the room to a catwalk that encircled the entire place. There, Harrison Garvy stood among his men, a smile on his face and his hands resting on the railing. "The grand finale's just about to start."

Davenport opened his mouth to yell something at the psycho, but Harrison continued. "Did you know that your wife thinks your dead, Donald?" Davenport's lips pulled into a thin, white line to keep them from trembling. "Oh, yes. She was quite devastated when two of my men dressed as cops broke the horrible news to her. But your stepson... He was quite suspicious at first. But now, I believe, he's finally accepted the truth."

Chase stepped forward, his eyes dark with anger. "Enough of your games, Garvy! We're done playing!"

"Yeah! They're not much fun anymore," Adam added. When everyone stared at him, he just shrugged.

Harrison chuckled. "Alright. No more games." His expression turned serious. "It's time to get down to business."

Just then, four people emerged from an opening on the far side of the room, walking confidently as they approached the Davenports. They stopped about halfway, each person striking a casual pose for effect.

Chase's breath caught in his throat and his whole body grew stiff. Damia gasped, her eyes wide, and she placed a hand on Chase's shoulder to steady herself. Bree's face paled at who she saw, an unpleasant memory dragged to the surface.

Standing before them were Natalia, Bill, Kendrix, and the Mexican that had shot Bree all those months ago. While Mexican Dude and Bill were glowering, Natalia and Kendrix were smirking; Natalia had her arms crossed and Kendrix had one hand in his pants pocket.

While his children were focused on the new arrivals, Davenport turned his attention to Harrison. "What did you do to my kids?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the spacious room.

Harrison smiled. "I merely did some testing. Gathered information for my associate." Davenport couldn't believe his ears. Harrison wasn't alone? "You have two very special young people, Donald," he said, his eyes flicking to Chase and Damia who had finally tore their gaze away from their arch-nemeses to Harrison.

Davenport glared at his ex-best friend. "I have a feeling that there's more to your plan than capturing us for testing," he said.

Harrison smiled widely. "Very good, Donald," he said mockingly. "You really _are_ a genius. May I direct your attention to this lovely device to my left." The Davenports glanced at a machine that they had never noticed before. It was taller than Adam and was wide enough that all five of them could surround it and spread their arms but would never be able to touch hands. Harrison seemed to glow as he gazed at his "baby". "Isn't she a beauty?" he asked, studying its sleek parts. "A lot of hard work went into this machine." He turned back to the Davenports. "Remember those few days six months ago? You should all remember. Well, except for Damiana, of course." Harrison grinned. "We had yet to be introduced then.

"Anyway, moving on. Six months ago, we raided any source that held the parts for our little project. This device is called the BML: Biological Missile Launcher. Although, she's known to us as the Plague Angel. This girl can launch missiles filled with deadly toxins with deadly accuracy and best of all, she can disguise her tracks or create a false trail. No one will be able to trace her. They won't even know she's there."

Davenport tried to disguise the panic that threatened to take over. "World destruction isn't really your forte, Harry."

Harrison chuckled. "You're right. I don't plan to kill off the population. I plan to _save_ it. My scientists right now are determining places where the Plague Angel can strike without making a huge fuss. I plan to start out small. Towns here and there.

"See, my toxin is special. It starts out first as a cold, and then it goes away. Or so it would seem. Instead, it's dormant inside its host, waiting for the right conditions. And it mutates. Of the billions of people in the world, there is not _one_ person exactly the same. So I've created a disease using that concept.

"While the strands lie dormant, some of their hosts may have traveled to other places, unknowingly bringing the plague with them. The disease can be activated by anything, and when it does, it spreads like wildfire, infecting an entire country in a few months."

"What does all this accomplish?" Chase asked, his voice accusing.

Harrison glared at the teen. "I wasn't finished." Chase wanted to say something but thought better of it and shut his mouth. "As I was saying, the disease is very efficient. Once it infects eighty percent of the world, which will likely take a few years, I plan to step in with an antidote that kills _all_ strands. People will be so desperate that I will ultimately be put into a position of power. I will earn the peoples' trust, and from there, I can rebuild the world, a _better_ world. Under my guidance, the world will become one, a prosperous community, using resources wisely and working together to better humanity."

Harrison's dream sounded perfect. _Too_ perfect.

Damia took a step forward. "It'll never work," she said, challenging Harrison.

Harrison stared down at her. "And why is that?"

"You dream of a place without pain and rebellion and _fear_. But those three things are so deeply ingrained in people that there is no way of removing it! In your perfect world, everyone would work together willingly but in truth, the racial and religious boundaries and favoritism will keep people apart. Some people might be afraid of your new world and that may lead to rebellion. And you're not considering the pain and anger people will experience from losing loved ones. They'd want justice; they'd want to find the people who caused so much pain so badly that they'd start pointing fingers. So you see, there is _no rational way_ to create a perfect world."

Harrison folded his arms behind his back and paced. "A very interesting argument. But you see, I refuse to accept your speech that depicts my failure simply because I _know_ that I will succeed."

"Faith is a two-way street," Damia said.

Harrison stopped his pacing and faced her. "May the best faith win." There was several seconds of silence before he continued. "Sadly, you won't be alive to find out." He made a gesture with his hand and suddenly every agent clad in black moved as one, clipping ropes to the railing of the catwalk and jumped over the side, sliding down the black ropes to the ground, thirty feet below.

The Davenports formed a tight circle, their backs facing the inside as they prepared for a fight.

Chase, who was next to Damia, whispered to her, "I don't know if I can do this."

Damia paused before whispering back, "As long as we're together, we'll fight. I'll always be here for you."

Chase felt comforted by his sister's softly spoken, earnest words. Already, he felt the anger stirring within him, replacing the fear. He wanted this _over with_. But when he saw the odds, he felt hopelessness clawing at him again. And seeing Natalia and Bill, the people who broke him, made it so much worse. But then... he felt something warm tickling at his thoughts, something he had forgotten. And all of a sudden, it came back to him.

It was the time he met his mother, forgotten for months until her words were needed most.

* * *

><p><em>"You <em>can't_ let their lies get to you!"_

_"You can trust your family."_

_"But we'll meet again someday, I feel it... in my heart."_

_"I'm so proud of you."_

_"I love you to the moon and back."_

* * *

><p>Chase felt hope flood through his veins, and for the first time in a <em>long<em> time, it no longer felt like the burden of the world was on his shoulders.

"_Go get them_," his mother's voice whispered in his ear and a warm breeze that shouldn't have existed ruffled his hair. Chase couldn't control his smirk as he settled into a tighter defensive stance just as the enemy surged towards the outmatched family.

* * *

><p>As Chase fought, sweaty and tired, he realized that there was more to keep him going than just the memory of his mother and Damia's words. The fate of the world depended on them succeeding. <em>Tasha and Leo <em>depended on them.

When he knocked out one more guy, he panted and wrapped an arm around his bruised ribs, taking a moment to survey the battle. His family had been forced to spread out, but Damia was close enough that he noticed she was dropping more men than seemed possible. On closer examination, Chase noticed that belts holding up peoples' pants would suddenly disintegrate into dust or sometimes it would be their hair, distracting them so it would give Damia an advantage. Chase narrowed his eyes and made his way over to his sister.

When a man jumped in his way, he simply flung the man into another with his molecular kinesis and continued on. When he reached Damia's side, he jumped into the fighting, talking to her as he did. "A new bionic ability, huh?"

Damia spared a glance at him before answering. "I guess so. I just woke up with it." She punched a guy in the gut then performed an uppercut.

"Do you think you could disintegrate that machine?"

Damia looked uncertain as she studied the tall structure. "I don't know. I've never tried anything that big. Even disintegrating doors is tiring."

Chase finished off an agent he was fighting and turned to face Damia. "Don't worry. I'll use my molecular kinesis to pull of parts at a time so you can destroy them." Damia nodded. Chase settled into a stance that would help to steady him and he raised his arms toward the device, closing his eyes in concentration. Then-

_Wham!_

Chase was knocked over from behind, sent flying by a kick to his back. Before Damia could react, someone called her name and she whipped around to see Kendrix standing less than ten feet away. "It's good to see you again," he said, a charming smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Bill and Natalia had gone after Chase, circling him once he had gotten to his feet. "Chasey!" Natalia said, gleaming. "Did ya miss us?" Chase refused to let his fear show, even though his heart was beating erratically inside his chest.

"If I told you I didn't would you bawl like a baby?" Chase countered, keeping an eye on both Natalia and Bill.

Natalia looked like she wanted to strangle him but then she smiled. "Aww! The poor Chasey's mad!"

Bill chuckled. "Let's see how mad he can get." Bill launched himself at Chase, who ducked out of the way only to be body slammed by Natalia while he was distracted.

Natalia had already gotten to her feet while Chase was still trying to clear the darkness from his mind. "Come on, Chase!" she whined. "Where's the fight? The challenge?" As Chase was finally pushing himself off the ground, Bill pulled back his foot, about to kick the younger teen in the ribs, when there was a flurry of motion.

Bill got tackled by Adam, who looked back at his brother and shouted, "I got this, Little Bro!" Chase nodded, his face relieved. He pushed himself into a standing position and faced Natalia, who was watching Bill fight Adam, a look of uncertainty in her eyes.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Chase asked, noticing her hesitancy. His suspicions were confirmed when she met his gaze, her confidence almost gone. "You and Bill always work as a team, right? So how good are you solo?"

Natalia summoned her anger and bitterness, but they were weakened by the uncertainty she felt. "Good enough to take you on," she snarled, but it didn't have the intended effect. Instead, Chase just grinned.

* * *

><p>While Chase and Natalia were facing off, Damia was having problems of her own, mostly in the form of the handsome boy in front of her. "What do you want, Kendrix?" she demanded.<p>

Kendrix just shrugged and smiled. "Just checking in on you," he replied. "It's been - what - a month and a half?" Damiana winced slightly, but it didn't go unseen by him. "Touchy subject, huh?"

Damia growled and ran at him. When she got close enough, she raised a fist and swung, but he caught her hand in his, much to her surprise. He suddenly squeezed her hand, crushing bones and causing her to cry out. Then his arm lashed out and he wrapped his hand around her throat tightly.

"You're still pathetic," he spat, green eyes blazing. Damia gasped for air and clawed with her free hand at the one around her throat but he wouldn't let go. Desperate, she kicked him in the one place that hurt the most.

For a split second, she had a vision of JC standing over a pool and watching her on the surface, cheering loudly and smiling.

Kendrix yelped tossed her away from him with surprising strength.

Damia landed with a thud, cradling her broken hand. She struggled to her feet, her face taut from the pain. She was several feet from Kendrix, and the shuffling bodies of other agents pushed her back even more, though she noticed there were considerably less men than there were before. At one point, someone knocked into her, spinning her around until she was no longer facing Kendrix. Then everything died down and she noticed all the agents pulling away from her, forming a large circle. Gasping with a pounding heart, Damia slowly turned around. Her eyes widened.

Kendrix smiled as he leveled a gun at her.

* * *

><p>Harrison watched the battle below with some interest, but then he yawned and decided it was time to move on with his plan. He took out his phone and dialed a number. When the person on the other line answered, he didn't say hello. "I have the target of the Plague Angel's first attack." He paused, watching the scene below. "Set the coordinates for Mission Creek."<p>

* * *

><p>Chase thought things were going really good. Even though both Bree and Adam had a score to settle with certain individuals (aka Mexican Dude and Bill), they still managed to fight other agents as well. And Davenport was like a charging bull. Literally. The man would scream and knock into people like some deranged football playerbull. And Chase was gaining over Natalia by taunting her into making careless mistakes that gave him an advantage.

"I hate you!" she screamed at one point, swinging a fist at him, which he easily ducked.

"Come on, Natalia!" he sneered, echoing her previous words. "Where's the challenge?" She roared at him and lunged, but he sidestepped her and grabbed her arm, pulling it behind her back, causing her to cry out. He shoved her into the stone wall, their fight having journeyed from the center of the room to the outskirts. There was a crunch as she made contact with the wall, then she fell to the ground, conked out.

As he jogged back towards the main fighting, he saw that Bree and Adam had also knocked out their opponents, moving on to the people in black. But just as he reentered the fight, all of the enemy agents pulled back into a wide circle, leaving him, Davenport, Bree, Adam, and... Chase paled and his heart stopped beating.

There was Damiana standing frozen as Kendrix pulled a gun on her, grinning.

Chase's eyes flicked between his sister and the person about to kill her. He was rooted to the spot, like everyone else in the room. He could barely breathe. But then... He jolted into action.

Everything slowed down.

Chase ran, a look of determination on his face. Damia felt a calm rush over her as she stared at Kendrix unwaveringly. As for the others, they could only watch with increasing horror as things unfolded.

Kendrix continued to grin as his finger found the trigger, meeting Damia's gaze without remorse.

Chase was still several feet away.

Kendrix squeezed the trigger the same time Damia took a sharp inhale.

_Bang._

"_No!_" Chase yelled, throwing himself in front of Damiana, knocking her out of the way.

"_**CHASE!**_" Bree screamed, grasping at her hair roughly. Damia sat frozen on the ground, staring at her brother, who had gone still with wide eyes.

* * *

><p><em>Forever, we'll fight forever and ever.<em>

* * *

><p>Chase couldn't feel the pain at first. His hand pressed against his stomach, his vision becoming blurry. He pulled his hand away and saw the palm covered in red.<p>

His knees buckled suddenly, and he knelt on the ground, staring ahead but not seeing. Muffled voices reached his ears but he couldn't hear what they were saying.

He started to fall to the side, but someone cradled his upper body, laying him down gently. That's when the pain hit.

His muscles in his midsection cramped and twisted, his whole stomach on fire. But he didn't cry out. He could only gasp for air that stubbornly refused to enter his lungs.

Someone was leaning over him, but he couldn't focus on their face. Their hair was dark and long. Then a name briefly surfaced in his foggy mind. _Damia_.

Her hair was outlined in a golden yellow, creating a heavenly appearance by the sun coming through the skylight. For months he had been plagued with the feeling that he had seen her somewhere before they met for the first time. Only now did he realize that she really did resemble someone. Their mother.

Davenport had watched the scene develop with panic. But now, as Damia cradled his son, her brother, in her arms, he could only gasp, "No, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening! Not again!"

He, Adam, and Bree ran to Damia and Chase, tears in all of their eyes.

"You idiot," Damia hissed at Chase, his unfocused eyes staring up at her. "You stupid, self-sacrificing _idiot_!" she cried.

"Th-thanks for th-the com-mpliment." She let out a small smile when she saw her brother's now clear and fixated eyes staring back at her.

Anger flared in her soon after and she took Chase's current state of attention to yell at him. "Why did you do that?! Why would you save me?"

The faintest smile appeared on his face, but it disappeared soon after, his chest and stomach convulsing. "You w-were worth sa-aving," he gulped out. At his words, Damia broke into sobs, her heart twisting painfully in her chest.

Davenport spoke up, his voice laced with suffering. "I can't call an ambulance. Even if I had a phone, I don't even know where we are." His voice broke on the last word and his lip trembled. Bree had her eyes glued to Chase, tears falling down her cheeks and arms wrapped around herself. Adam draped an arm around Bree's shoulders, pulling her close as he watched his baby brother.

"You can't leave me, you idiot!" Damia growled at Chase. Softer, she said, "You're the only one who truly understands me."

Ignoring her, Chase said, "You were r-right."

Damia frowned. "About what?"

"Ab-bout being afr-raid t-to let go."

* * *

><p><em>And we will never surrender, never, forever.<em>

* * *

><p>She remembered their discussion a few da- almost two months ago; how she profiled him like on those cop shows. She'd told him that the memories of his month of capture wouldn't go away because he didn't want them to.<p>

"Shh, shh. Save your breath. You can tell me later."

Chase blinked at her. "There won't b-be a l-later."

Damia felt hot tears fall down her cheeks. "Don't say that!" she sobbed. The two stared at each other for a few moments, oblivious to everyone else.

Then Chase gave a small, weary, and pain-filled smile. And he said, "D-Don't st-stop fighting." His body went lax in her grip and his eyes slowly closed as the air left him in a rush.

* * *

><p><em>We will fight forever...<em>

* * *

><p>Damiana screamed his name and Bree broke into hysterical sobs while Davenport and Adam were pale and shattered.<p>

When Chase wouldn't respond, wake up, breathe, _anything_, Damia started visibly shaking with hatred. She raised her bowed head and glared with dark eyes at the man who shot Chase, who was currently smiling, always smiling, like a madman.

Carefully, Damia laid Chase's still body on the floor and then stood up, her body stiff. Her family watched her warily but she ignored them as she walked around the group to face Kendrix.

"You know, as soon as I saw you, I knew it was going to be hard to kill you," he said.

Damiana clenched her hands and gritted her teeth. "You're not going to kill me," she seethed. "Not tonight."

Kendrix dropped the gun and held out his arms as if to say, _Give it your best shot._

With a yell, Damia charge forward, Kendrix running to meet her, approximately sixty-seven feet away.

Sixty feet.

Davenport checked his youngest son's pulse.

Fifty-four feet.

Finding nothing, the inventor began the CPR procedure.

Thirty-seven feet.

Davenport sat back on his heels, a shaking hand covering his mouth as tears fell.

Twenty-one feet.

Bree refused to accept that her brother was dead. She carefully picked up his limp form and was gone in a flash, leaving a gust of wind in her wake.

Eighteen feet.

Anger fueled Damia to go faster, unaware that bright blue coils of electricity were wrapped around her hands, and sparks flew when her feet struck the ground.

Thirteen feet. Twelve.

The electricity grew brighter, turning white as it intensified.

Seven feet. Six.

At five feet, Damia leapt into the air, her right fist raised and ready to strike as she soared closer and-

* * *

><p><em>Together, we can fight forever.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter soundtrack: Not Gonna Die by Skillet<strong>

**Whoa. Please don't kill meeee. If you do, you'll never find out what happens! So, HA. Anyways, since I'm posting on a Tuesday, I might not be able to post on this Saturday. I might just take a two week break... Nah, I couldn't do that to you.**


	15. Chapter 14

**I'M BAAAaaaAAACK! Did ya guys miss me? It's been three weeks! _Three!_ But I have a very good excuse, even if it wasn't so good for you guys: I had a small case of writer's block and I lost my inspiration to write. But I have the most wonderful mom ever because she got me through it with one simple phrase in her entire speech. "...maybe you need to make it shorter..." And I'm like, "Bingo!" The previous chapter wasn't flowing right and so I just chopped out _a lot_ of parts, edited some things here, added stuff there, and thus chapter fourteen was born. **

**I want to thank all my readers and reviewers and followers and favoriters. And I'm especially grateful for the people who haven't given up on this story. And just to let you know, _I_ won't give up on this story, no matter how long it takes me to write a chapter, because I _will_ finish this story. **

**So, enjoy chapter fourteen.**

* * *

><p>We have set our faces eastward<p>

To the rising of the sun

That shall light a better nation,

And there's big work to be done.

And the petty souls and narrow,

Seeking only selfish gain

Shall be vanquished by the toilers

Big enough to suffer pain.

-G. E. Bishop, _The Bigger Day_

* * *

><p>Breathe in. Breathe out.<p>

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Breathing. It's so important to our bodies, yet we do it with so little thought. All it takes is a contraction and an expansion of the diaphragm and voilá - instant air. But if breathing is so vital for us to live, why do we take advantage of the fact that we will always be able to breathe 24/7? Why don't we take at least a few minutes a day to just be thankful that we _are_ breathing and therefore alive? Now, I'm not saying we should look down at our midsections and say, "Oh, hey, Diaphragm! Thanks for the air!" I'm just saying that we should just stop and be glad that our lungs are working.

But someone wasn't that lucky.

"Clear!" ...

"Heartbeat still irregular and dropping fast!"

"Charging!" ... "Clear!" ...

_Beeeeeeeep..._

"Come on..."

_Beeeeeeeep...beep...beep...beep..._

"Alright! Heart rate is back and steady!"

Someone sighed. "Great job, kid. Keep that heart of yours beatin'. We're almost there."

* * *

><p>Damiana was <em>infuriated<em>. No, she was feeling her emotions so strongly that there wasn't a word to describe the anger and pain and injustice she felt. She screamed and screamed and _screamed_ but the tightness in her chest wouldn't go away. Not even the tears that fell from her eyes helped. The only thing that helped her release her emotions was pummeling her brother's murderer.

"I HATE YOU!" she screamed at him, slamming her fist into his face over and over again until you could barely recognize it. But he still smiled. And that's what really ticked her off.

She screamed again, raw and gut-wrenching, as she blasted him with white hot electricity produced in waves from her own body. She was overflowing with so much of the stuff that her eyes glowed brighter and some of the veins in her hands shone white under her skin, slowly traveling up her arms because she couldn't release the energy fast enough.

Kendrix went flying, landing several feet away, his body covered in multiple, serious burns. But despite his injuries, he climbed to his feet, favoring his right leg. "Is that all you got?" he taunted, his voice scratchy.

Damia couldn't stop herself from screaming again as she launched herself at him, punching him so hard in the side that she cracked several ribs. She grabbed his left forearm and twisted it sharply, breaking the elbow instantly. Kendrix yelped and fell to his knees before her. Damia barely felt any satisfaction, only rage.

She punched him in the face, leaving a large burn on his cheek. She hit him repeatedly in different places all over his upper body until she fell to her knees just like he did moments before. She suddenly felt weak, leaning against the person she hated with all her being for support. Sweat plastered her hair to her head and she panted harder than she ever remembered. Kendrix was gasping for breath, blood dribbling out of the corner of his mouth from internal bleeding.

Her hands beat against his chest, small current of electricity still flowing from Damia's hands and into Kendrix, but now that she had stopped expending large amounts of energy, it built up in her body, spreading from her arms and up her neck and chest, crawling towards her face.

The air crackled with charged particles as if lightning was about to strike.

Kendrix, wincing from his wounds and Damia's energy. He leaned closer to her until he could whisper in her ear. "I'll never be sorry for what I did. Chase was weak. The weak _never_ survive." Damia cried out and a sudden surge of voltage broke them apart, sending them flying backwards in opposite directions.

Damia stood, swaying on her feet as the power within her began to take its toll. "Chase is the strongest person I know!" she spat, white veins now visible up the side of her face and temples.

Kendrix was picking himself off the floor. "Was. He's _dead_."

_**"NO!"**_ Damia let out a yell and a blast of electricity hit Kendrix square in the chest, causing him to crash to the ground. When he started moving and groaning, something snapped inside Damia and she let out one final, raw scream, a huge explosion of energy pulsing out from her body in all directions while white coils erupted from her hands and wrapped around Kendrix. There was a sound of shattering glass once her blast wave reached the glass ceiling as he twisted in agony but it was no use. Shards of glass rained down on them, cutting their skin and getting lost in their hair.

Damia finally grew too weak from the sudden drain of energy that she fell to her knees, so exhausted that she barely felt the glass digging into her skin. She glanced down at her hands, fighting the sudden dizziness she felt. While her outburst had depleted most of the electricity within her, it still continued to build, and she finally noticed the white veins in her hands glowing beneath her skin. As darkness pushed at the edge of her vision, she looked up at Kendrix's body, several feet away. He was charred to a crisp, unmoving and _still smiling_, a look of insanity frozen on his face as he stared at the sky through the empty space where the glass ceiling used to be.

The reality of everything came crashing down on Damia all at once: she had just killed a man. And Chase was dead. Damiana felt hot tears run down her face. She choked on a sob, intense grief tearing her heart apart. She gave in to unconsciousness, her eyes rolling back into her head as she collapsed to the ground.

* * *

><p><em>Coordinates: Mission Creek<em>

_Coordinates confirmed._

_Engage systems._

_Standby._

_..._

_Systems online._

_Set primary countdown: 05:00_

_Primary countdown verified._

_Begin primary countdown? Yes/No_

_Primary countdown confirmed._

**05:00**

**04:59**

**04:58**

* * *

><p><em>"D'ma."<em>

_"Dam'a."_

"Damia."

Damia blinked her eyes open, staring at the sky from Garvy's compou- no... She wasn't. She was lying on her back and staring at the ceiling back in the lab. Before she could think any further, an achingly familiar voice spoke up.

"You know, I'm not teaching you to just stand there and get the teeth knocked out of your mouth." Her twin brother leaned into her view, staring down at her with his arms crossed.

Her mouth was moving before she even realized it. "I can't do it." Her voice was whiney.

"Of course you can."

"My whole body hurts."

Chase leaned down and offered her a hand. "A reason for feeling pain is to discover your limits but keep going anyway, setting new boundaries. In the end, you'll come out stronger than before." Chase smirked at her, his hand still held out.

Damia smiled back and grasped his hand.

She woke with a strangled gasp.

Bolting upright, she looked around wildly, her chest heaving. She was still in Harrison's building; she'd never left. Glancing down at her shaking hands, she saw that her veins were still visible, energy bubbling beneath the surface. When she pushed herself to her feet, she realized her entire body was trembling, mostly from shock. A wave of heat washed over her. No, wait... she was freezing cold. Why wouldn't she stop shaking?

A small part of her brain realized that she was becoming feverish; she was unable to think clearly, her gaze went in and out of focus, and she was sweating but shivering at the same time.

The air buzzed with electricity around her as stumbled around the large room, unsure what she was going to do and where she was going to go and how she was supposed to feel.

She realized that Harrison's men had disappeared, along with Davenport and Adam, remembering the ring the agents had formed when Kendrix had pulled out the gun. Unbeknownst to her, they had left to take care of other, more pressing matters.

Every time she stubbed a toe on an unconscious body lying on the floor, she would unintentionally give the person such a jolt that their body jerked, causing her to stumble back in fear, believing they were trying to get her, to snag her feet. Suddenly, she tripped over someone with a fearful shriek, landing with a thud on the ground.

Damia lay on her back and stared at the ceiling, tears welling in her eyes. The sky was cloudy and the first drops of rain fell on her face, mixing with her tears. She raised her arms and pressed the heel of her hands against her eyes as she broke down.

_I can't do this._

What had she told Chase before he died? _"As long as we're together, we'll fight. I'll always be here for you."_

Anger surged inside her. Hadn't he realized that she needed him to be strong? That she needed to hear him say that he'll be there, too? With his last breath he told her to keep fighting. But she didn't know if she could. And in a way, she felt like she failed him. He was so much stronger than her. He wasn't afraid to die, and here she was, falling apart when she should be _doing something_.

It began to pour, the rain soaking her clothes and hair. She missed him _so much_. She meant what she had said to him that he was the only person to understand her. He could read her like no body else could and when she spilled out her back story with JC to Chase, he hadn't pitied her or tried to give her encouragement because he _knew_ there wasn't anything he could do to take away the pain. That kind of pain just never went away.

"Why did you leave me?" she whispered, thinking not just about her twin but also JC. They left her alone with the pain, the hopelessness. She'd trusted them, had let them in, and then they _left_ her, vulnerable and alone and _hurt_.

She ran her hands through her wet hair, relishing in the cooling rain on her face.

Then she heard it. A machine. Rolling onto her side, moved her head and looked around. Her gaze landed on the BML device, which had lit up and was adjusting its position, preparing to launch a missile containing the disease Harrison had created.

**04:43**

Pushing herself to her feet, she realized she was opposite of the machine, a hundred feet stretching between them, but it might as well have been a hundred miles. Everything ached as she took a step forward, nearly falling. Her knees were weak and she was unbalanced as she walked, but she managed to make steady progress across the room.

**04:07**

It wasn't until she was almost halfway there that she noticed the shouting. Turning, she saw five men making their way towards her, carrying guns.

Gasping, she whipped around and started running towards the machine but she suddenly tripped over her own feet and crashed to the ground, her palms stinging from when she tried to break her fall. She heard a gun fire, and something hit the ground close to her face, causing her to shriek and cover her head. When she slowly peeled her arms away, she saw the projectile had skidded a few feet away and then noticed something. It wasn't a bullet; it was a tranquilizer dart.

**03:38**

_But I thought Harrison said he didn't need us anymore,_ she thought as she flipped onto her back and shot a blast of energy at them, depleting her store of energy and causing them to dive out of the way with cries of surprise. Using their distraction to her advantage, she scrambled to her feet and dashed for the BML machine, finally catching sight of the bright, bold letters on the display screen of the device as they counted down.

**03:26**

She was fifteen feet away when there was a whoosh of air and a sharp pain in her shoulder. She stumbled to a halt and reached back, her fingers closing around a small, cylindrical object and pulling it out. Blinking against the sudden drowsiness, she stared at the dart with a blank mind.

* * *

><p>"Are you Bree Davenport?"<p>

"Yes! How's my brother?"

* * *

><p>With a jolt, Damia dropped the dart and fixed her tired eyes on the Plague Angel, it's metal armor shining from the rain.<p>

_"Do you think you can disintegrate that machine?"_ Chase's voice echoed in her ears.

_"I don't know. I've never tried anything that big."_

Determination bubbled in her chest as she raised her shaking hands towards the machine, steadying herself and closing her eyes in concentration. She heard groaning coming from the metal, but even though she strained and strained, it wouldn't work. She dropped her hands in defeat and opened her eyes. But she wasn't giving up yet.

If she couldn't disintegrate it by willpower alone, she'd use _contact_.

* * *

><p>"Your brother is very lucky. He lost a lot of blood and his some of his organs were severely damaged from the bullet, but we managed to sew them up."<p>

"So he'll be okay, right?"

* * *

><p><em>Whoosh<em>.

She had only taken a few steps when she was shot with another dart, this time in her neck.

Dizziness assaulted her and her knees gave out, but she just started to crawl, her eyes focused on the tall machine looming ahead of her.

"Knock her out!" someone shouted, darts flying over her, causing her to drop to her stomach but she still crawled, still pushed forward.

* * *

><p>"Young lady, I need you to understand that your brother's heart stopped three times on the table, nearly four but we managed to stabilize him in time."<p>

"...What?"

* * *

><p>Damia had almost reached the machine and was stretching out her hand when someone grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to her feet, dragging her away despite her screams of protest. She kicked and squirmed and elbowed her attacker, anything to get away.<p>

* * *

><p>"There's something else you should know..."<p>

* * *

><p><strong>2:09<strong>

Damia placed her hands on the man's arm surrounding her waist and shocked him as hard as she could. He let go and was sent flying, leaving her to drop to the ground like a rag doll.

She was crying as she started to crawl again, her body cut in several places from the shards of glass on the floor, but she didn't care. She was on the brink of passing out, not just from the sedatives that where in the darts but also from the stress of everything. _Everything_. She felt like the fate of the world rested on her shoulders, and she was barely coping.

_Every hero has to make sacrifices; there isn't a hero out there who hasn't. _Words from her literature teacher came back to her as she gingerly pulled herself forwards, recalling a discussion about the protagonist. _If you were a hero, what would you be willing to sacrifice to save the world? Money? Comforts of home? Friends? Family? ...Yourself? Only when sacrifices are demanded to be given will you know how much you're willing to give up... and how much you're not._

Chase was a hero. He paid the ultimate sacrifice: He choose to give up his life so that Damia could live hers. Could she make the same decision? She honestly didn't know.

* * *

><p>"What aren't you telling me, doctor?"<p>

* * *

><p>Damia heard shouts of fighting behind her but she ignored them, her bloodshot, red-rimmed eyes glaring at the Plague Angel, the countdown long forgotten, as she pulled herself forward one last time, her bloodied hand reaching out-<p>

* * *

><p>"Your brother, he..."<p>

* * *

><p>-while memories danced before her eyes, some happy, some sad, some amazing, and some that were just worth remembering.<p>

She heard someone scream her name, but she remained focused on her task. Chase was always focused, she thought with a small smile, a tear escaping down her dirtied face.

She felt like she was dying. In reality, she actually _was_ dying. Her bionic chip was overloaded; she never had the proper training to control new abilities and she had stressed out her body too much. Her chip couldn't handle it... and neither could her heart.

And in these final moments, she realized that, yes - she would give up her life to save others.

As her fingers stretched closer to the metal of the Plague Angel, she smiled wistfully. A picture of her family, minus her, filled her with warmth and strength because they were _together_ and they were _laughing_. Chase was there too, but not the Chase she knew, because she had only known the broken Chase that would never fully heal. No... this Chase was different. He was carefree and cocky and full of light that shone in his smile and in his eyes... and it was a _beautiful_ sight.

One last tear fell, her fingers centimeters away from the machine. "I-I love y-you, guys," she whispered, closing her eyes.

Her fingertips barely brushed the cool metal, but in that briefest moment of contact, raw, unbridled power surged from her body, through her fingers, and into the machine that had caused them so much trouble.

As the power left her body, so did her strength, and Damiana Evelyn Davenport knew nothing but oblivion, her limp form collapsing to the hard, wet ground, the rain dragging down the dust that filled the air.

* * *

><p>"...Your brother slipped into a coma before we even finished surgery. And we don't know if he'll wake up."<p>

* * *

><p><strong>So, what did you guys think? I'd love feedback 'cause I only read the chapter over once so... if there're any mistakes, let me know, please?<strong>

**Chapter soundtrack #1: Release the Panic by Red (Damia's fight with Kendrix)**

**Chapter soundtrack #2: Forgive Me by Patrick Doyle, Thor Soundtrack #19**

**And please let me know how the soundtracks fit with the chapter. Insight is much appreciated. Also, I'll try not to leave you guys waiting for three weeks again. Now that I've (hopefully) overcome my writer's block and that the story is coming to a close, chapters should come easier now.**

**Until next time, my wonderful readers. **


	16. Chapter 15

**Hey! I'm back (finally). Sorry for taking so long. I know I probably lost a lot of readers for doing so, but, oh well. I just hope you remaining, faithful readers will enjoy this.**

**Well, it's official. One more chapter after this and then the epilogue!**

**WOOHOO! I officially broke the record for the number of words written! For most of the story, chapter seven held first place at 9,383 words, but chapter fifteen takes the cake at 12,332 words! Sorry, I got a little excited for a moment there.**

**I'm sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes. It's hard to catch them all, those slippery little abominations to the art of writing.**

**So, anyway, here's chapter fifteen.**

**Oh, and I'm so sorry for what I've done (not really.)**

* * *

><p>In the midst of the sense of tragedy or loss, sometimes laughter is not only healing,<p>

it's a way of experiencing the person that you've lost again.

-Alan Alda

* * *

><p>Images, memories, sights, sounds; all moving too fast to understand, flashing by in a dizzying array, faster and faster until suddenly-<p>

_"You did it, Dami. You did it."_

-they stopped.

The words echoed in her ears even as her eyes flew open and her lips parted with a sharp intake of air.

There was a moment of silence, in which she stared at the ceiling but never really saw because at that moment, reality crashed down on her and she remembered _everything_.

She felt her heart breaking all over again and a sob escaped her mouth before she could stop it, and soon, she was all out crying, hot tears falling down the side of her face and sobs tearing up her already raw throat.

She had closed her eyes as loneliness grasped at her when suddenly arms picked her up and hugged her tightly to someone's body. She protested, remembering Harrison's men, pushing against the person as hard as she could, shrieking, "No! No, no, no!" But soon she grew weak and tired and she collapsed against the person, her tears soaking their shirt as her hands fisted in the fabric, sobs wracking her body.

The person held her tighter and rocked her gently, a calming effect on her exhausted and battered body, and she didn't realize until moments later when she had stopped crying so hard that the person was whispering soothing words to her.

"You're okay, Damia. Shhh... It's okay..."

There was a slight commotion - someone new had just entered the picture - and the person holding her - she knew now that it was a man - asked, "Is that really necessary?"

"It'll not only keep her from hurting her body any further, but it'll also help with her mental health, give her a chance to recover," came the reply just as that person grabbed one of the bionic's arms, untangling her fingers from the man's shirt. She struggled at first, but the man held her tighter and resumed his whispered words, pulling her head to his chest and smoothing down her hair, pushing it behind one of her ears.

She wished she could have seen who was holding her, but he kept her head tucked under his chin. However, she was able to see the person who had her arm and was now wiping a spot of skin with a wet cloth.

She stared with blank eyes at a woman in a white lab coat, dirty blond hair pulled into a bun but some strands had fallen out and were hanging in her face as she got rid of the cloth and picked up a needle.

* * *

><p><em>While she was distracted, one of the two doctors left had sneaked up behind her and now he made his move and wrapped an arm around her neck in a headlock. Damia gasped for air and pulled at the arm choking her but it wouldn't budge as she saw the last doctor approaching her with a syringe in his hand.<em>

* * *

><p>The flashback got her heart racing, but before she could try to pull her arm back, the doctor met her gaze, which made her pause. The eyes weren't full of maliciousness or promising evil intent. No, they were kind and sympathetic, and the woman gave a reassuring smile before she plunged the needle into Damia's arm, the bionic still watching her warily but otherwise had given up fighting.<p>

Damia felt the liquid enter her arm and she closed her eyes as she became drowsy. The person laid her back down, but she barely noticed because she was recalling the words she had heard when she woke up. The voice had been very familiar; she knew it belonged to someone she had cared for a lot, but she was too tired to dwell on it. Within seconds, she was asleep.

* * *

><p>The second time she woke up was much less dramatic than the first.<p>

She opened her eyes slowly, tiredness still lingering in lids of her eyes. She felt sluggish, like she had been sleeping for a long time.

The pain in her heart came back slowly at a bearable level, but it was still there. At least she didn't freak out like the last time. Speaking of last time...

She remembered the arms holding her and knew it could have only been on person: Davenport. She looked to see if he was still in the room but she was lying too flat on her back and her neck hurt if she tried to move it, so she placed both hands on each side of her and painfully began to push herself up. Her arms shook from the strain and she gritted her teeth against the many aches in her body, including one that came from her bandaged right hand, which Kendrix had crushed with his own.

* * *

><p><em>When she got close enough, she raised a fist and swung, but he caught her hand in his, much to her surprise. He suddenly squeezed her hand, crushing bones and causing her to cry out. Then his arm lashed out and he wrapped his hand around her throat tightly.<em>

* * *

><p>Damia breathed in harshly but she refused to panic; instead, she focused all her attention on just sitting up. Agonizingly slowly she pulled her body up and collapsed against the bed's headboard, panting from exertion. <em>I'll just close my eyes for a minute or two...<em>, she thought as she drifted off to sleep again.

* * *

><p><em>Damia landed with a thud, cradling her broken hand. She struggled to her feet, her face taut from the pain. She was several feet from Kendrix, and the shuffling bodies of other agents pushed her back even more, though she noticed there were considerably less men than there were before. At one point, someone knocked into her, spinning her around until she was no longer facing Kendrix. Then everything died down and she noticed all the agents pulling away from her, forming a large circle. Gasping with a pounding heart, Damia slowly turned around. Her eyes widened.<em>

_Kendrix smiled as he leveled a gun at her._

_Damia felt a calm rush over her as she stared at Kendrix unwaveringly, who met her gaze without remorse and continued to grin even as his finger found the trigger._

_Kendrix squeezed with his finger the same time Damia took a sharp inhale._

_...And the next thing she knew, she was on her butt on the ground and Chase standing where she had been moments before. And with a feeling of dread settling in her stomach, she realized what had happened._

_Her brother collapsed to his knees with a blank look on his face, and that's when she jumped into action, rushing to catch him as he listed to the side, tears already falling from her eyes__-_

* * *

><p>Damia jolted awake, sitting up abruptly, an action that caused her to yelp in pain and to wrap an arm around her bruised ribs. Once she realized that she wasn't in any danger, she settled back against the headboard, covering her eyes with a shaking hand.<p>

_Go away_, she growled at the memories, but she knew they wouldn't. Not for a long time, if ever.

She removed her hand from her eyes and took a good look at her surroundings. For the first time, it registered that she was in a bed (a not very comfortable one, but still) and wearing a long and itchy white gown. Machines beeped beside her and an IV fed her some type of liquid through the tube that was inserted into her good hand. She was obviously in a hospital and thankfully not a captive of some psychopath. She had dealt with enough madmen to last a lifetime.

Her eyes lit upon the empty chair by her beside... and her clothes folded neatly on another chair against a wall.

Damia's eyes lit up with a mischievous glint and she threw the blankets off of her body before carefully tearing off the tape keeping the IV in her hand and proceeding to pull out the tube. Then she removed all the other wires connecting her to the machines, setting a few off in the process, and slowly began to move towards the edge of her bed. Once she was close enough, she swung her legs over the side, goose bumps racing up her legs and arms when her toes touched the freezing tiled floor.

_I can do this_, she encouraged herself as she prepared to stand. Taking a deep breath, she slid her body down until both of her feet were firmly on the ground, then she let go of the bed and slowly straightened. She bit her lip and looked down at her feet as she took a tiny step forward, then another. Her calves ached like she had had a dozen charley horses while she was asleep, and if she weren't careful, they might come back. She highly doubted she'd have the strength to stand through the pain if something like that happened.

However, she did gain confidence the more she walked and decided to head for her clothes. Still taking tender baby steps, crossing the room felt like an eternity, and she kept pausing to listen for people coming down the hall, but no one ever did. Once she had reached her clothes, she spotted a small bathroom and entered it. Five minutes later (her injuries made getting dressed ten times more difficult), she exited the bathroom with a content sigh; hospital gowns were just too awkward.

Damia tossed the gown onto her bed and made her way to the door. Cautiously she stuck her head out, glancing in both directions of the hallway before stepping into the hall and going right. She didn't know why she choose that direction, but something in her gut told her to.

Soon she came upon another room where voices could be heard inside. She slowed her pace and peeked her head in. People surrounded a bed in a half circle, their backs to the door, but with surprise she recognized Bree's wavy auburn hair and Davenport's stature and Adam's height. They were murmuring in quiet tones to each other and blocking the person on the bed from view.

_Why are they surrounding a random person? Why weren't they waiting for me to wake up? Unless... No, that's impossible._ Even as she moved further into the room, her eyes fixed on the bed, a tiny voice whispered, _Is it?_

Bree suddenly turned around and gasped at seeing her younger sister in the doorway, Davenport and Adam whipping around as well, but they remained blocking the bed from view.

Damia's eyes were focused on the bed, as if she could see past her family members, and shuffled forward.

"Damia!" Donald exclaimed. "What are you doing? You need to stay in bed!"

Damia ignored him and asked a question of her own, finally meeting Davenport's gaze. "Who's that?" When no one answered her, her eyes hardened and she glared at all three in turn, biting out, "Who. Is. That?"

Bree, Adam, and Davenport traded looks before they glanced away and slowly parted, giving a clear view to the person on the bed.

Damia's face instantly paled and she stumbled back, her eyes wide and her heartbeat fast.

Davenport watched his daughter carefully, wondering if it was a good idea to let her see him so soon.

"But... I saw..." Damia couldn't form a complete sentence and her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

There, lying on the bed, was an ashen-colored and motionless Chase Davenport with an endotracheal tube down his throat to help him breathe and various machines hooked to him to help keep him alive. A heartbeat monitor beeped steadily beside his bed, the loudest sound in the room.

"But I saw..." She looked to the others with confusion in her eyes. "I saw him die."

Davenport looked her right in the eye, as if sharing the internal battle that was going on inside of her. "He almost did. The CPR I did must have gotten his heart beating even if we couldn't have felt it. When Bree left, she managed to find a payphone and called an ambulance. The EMTs picked up on the faint heartbeat but it was irregular so they applied defibrillation, jumpstarting his heart into a better beat.

"They had just managed to get him to the hospital before he started to crash again." Davenport paused. "He died three times on the table but each time they managed to bring him back. The last time it happened, he slipped into a coma from the blood loss. He hasn't woken up yet."

Damia's brain was racing and thoughts like, _Too much! Too much!_ popped up like warnings as if she were an overloaded computer.

_Chase is alive..._ But in a coma and might never wake up. But he was _alive_. But...

Damia shook her head slightly to clear her mind before approaching the bed. Chase was so still; it wasn't unlike him to grow unmoving for a few moments, but this time it was different.

The four people standing in the room turned when they heard footsteps pounding down the hall, a frantic nurse appearing in the doorway. When she caught sight of Damia, she breathed a sigh of relief. "There you are! You were not supposed to leave your bed!" the nurse scolded, moving farther into the room. "I'm going to have to ask you to come with me back to your room."

Damia looked back at Chase, wishing she could sit with him, but she could tell just from the stern look on the nurse's face that it would be impossible. "Fine," she conceded. "But no hospital gown."

The nurse smiled. "I can do that. You're almost ready to be signed out after a physical examination, anyway, but we're going to keep an eye on you for the next few hours, which will tell us if we need to keep you overnight or not. Come on." The nurse led the way out, Damia following until she thought of something.

Turning to Davenport, she asked, "Can you come with me?" Davenport looked shocked for a moment but then nodded vigorously.

"Of course."

Almost five minutes later, Damia was back on her bed, the IV inserted into her hand again. Davenport sat in the chair next to her bed, and after the nurse left, Damia asked the question that had been bugging her since she woke up. "What happened?'

Davenport fiddled with his hands as he answered her. "After Bree left, Adam and I went after Harrison. We confronted him in his office; he was packing a briefcase with papers, no doubt planning to escape." He took a shuddering breath. "It wasn't easy, confronting the man that used to be my best friend. To see him that bitter and crazy..." He shook his head. "Anyway, we fought, and Adam and I almost lost. We won only by a lucky hit on Adam's part.

"We gathered as much incriminating evidence against him as we could, then we locked him in a closet until we were able to get the police to pick him up. When Adam and I came back, Harrison's men had disappeared and there were different guys in their place, attacking you. I don't know where they came from or who they worked for, but I can only assume that there were more of them and that's why Harrison's goons had vanished, to protect the compound.

"But anyway, we took out the men and reached you just as you passed out." Davenport looked his daughter right in the eye. "Damia, you had an insanely high fever that almost killed you."

Damia looked sincerely shocked. "I... I had no idea."

The inventor shrugged. "I'm just glad we got you out in time. When Bree had found the payphone to call for an ambulance, she also managed to find out where Harrison's compound was and called the police. They arrived just as we exited the building, and they brought an ambulance! The EMTs whisked you away, but Adam and I stayed at the scene, giving our reports. Harrison was arrested twenty minutes later, along with most of his agents and scientists." He paused, tears welling in his eyes as emotions swelled within his chest.

"It's over, Damia. It's finally over." He looked at his daughter with red-rimmed eyes that shown with relief. "It's so hard to believe that we won't be tormented again."

Damia nodded. "It's an amazing feeling," she agreed.

Davenport watched her for several seconds before speaking what was on his mind. "Damiana, you... I want you to know that I didn't bring you into this family just to help turn the tide against Harrison. I brought you because I knew you could help _heal_ my family. And you did, even if we didn't heal all the way. I mean - before you came, I thought I would never see Chase's smile again! I was so scared that he would turn out like D- like Harrison, but then you came and turned him around! You've been the hope for this family that we could never find. Damia, I'm saying all of this because I'm scared. I'm scared that something might happen to you before I got the chance to tell you how much you mean to us, to me, and how much I love you."

Damia smiled softly. "I know."

Davenport continued on, encouraged by her gentle gaze, so much like her mother. "I regret my decision to send you away, I really do. If I had the chance, I would have done things differently."

Damia held up a hand to stop him. "Hey, if you didn't give me to my parents, I wouldn't be the person that I am today. Everything I am - it's all because of what you did all those years ago. And if I had grown up here, Harrison would know about me and I wouldn't have been much help. So don't beat yourself up over a decision you thought was bad, because it actually turned out for the better."

Davenport stared at her in amazement. "Since when did you become so wise?" They chuckled together, but her words weren't lost on him. He truly appreciated everything his daughter had done for him and his family and for everything she was.

There was a moment of content silence before Damia spoke up again. "Have you contacted Tasha yet?"

Davenport's expression sobered and he suddenly looked old and weary. "No. Not yet."

Damia studied him before a huge smile split her face. "You should surprise her."

Davenport looked up. "What?"

The bionic shifted on her bed to get into a more comfortable position. "Yeah! I mean, we should just show up at the door and surprise her and Leo. Imagine the looks on their faces!" She sighed happily. "I've always wanted to experience something like that." By then, Davenport had begun to smile too.

"That's a great idea, Damia. Thanks."

Damia nodded. "You're welcome."

Just then, a nurse came in, a surgical mask on her face. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but your doctor has decided to keep you overnight for observation," she said sweetly.

Damia felt a tinge of unease at the sound of her voice and at the sight of the mask. "Why do you have to wear that?" she asked, gesturing to the mask as she nurse came closer.

"I just have a small cold," the nurse answered easily. "It's a required precaution."

Damia noticed she wasn't wearing a name badge. "What's your name?" Davenport had picked up on Damia's uneasiness and had moved closer to his daughter while trying to keep a casual air.

The nurse stopped and slowly reached up towards her mask. "I'm disappointed, Damia. You're definitely not living up to my expectations." She pulled off the mask and Damia gasped.

"No!" she screamed, ripping out her IV and scrambling off of the bed because there, smiling with an insane look in her eye, stood Natalia.

"Did ya miss me?" Natalia asked, taking in Davenport's angry expression and Damia's frightened one.

Davenport yelled and threw a punch at her, but she easily sidestepped and caught Davenport's wrist, flipping him then took out a tazer - why was she using a tazer? (not that Davenport or Damia were complaining) - and shot Davenport with it. While he was flopping around on the floor, Natalia approached Damia, her pleasant expression gone.

"Why are you doing this?" Damia pleaded. "Why can't you just leave us alone?"

"Because," Natalia spat, "Chase was the one who got away from me. It was _so much fun_ to play with him, but he never played back, and that left me feeling neglected, so totally abandoned." Her gaze grew angrier and her smile more evil. "I want him to pay for what he did to me. I plan to take away the one thing that he holds most dear, and he won't be there to save you."

Damia swallowed back a sob and raised her hands, trying to shoot electricity-

...But it wouldn't work. _Why wouldn't it work?!_

Natalia chuckled. "I took the liberty to steal some of Harrison's nullifiers and place them in this room while you were sleeping." At Damia's panicked look, Natalia puckered out her lower lip. "Aw, no more bionics for the little baby. What on earth are we going to do?" She broke into a smile, suddenly very chipper. "No special muscle thingy, no way to fight back."

Damia knew it was true with a sinking feeling in her stomach. All of her martial art moves depended on her bionic ability of adoptive muscle memory. Without it... she doubted she would stand a chance against Natalia.

Davenport was still convulsing on the floor, but he tried to twist himself around to see what was happening. "Damia!" he croaked.

Just then, Natalia lunged for Damia, but the bionic managed to duck and stumble out of the way. Damia tried to do a roundhouse kick but it was unbalanced and Natalia moved in, grabbing Damia's hair in her fist and pulling her neck back.

Damia cried out and fell to her knees from the pain shooting down her back. She glared at Natalia, trying to breathe through the pain. "What're you going to do? Slit my throat?" she growled, but Natalia just laughed.

Bending down until their noses almost touched, Natalia whispered, "I don't need to." Yanking Damia's hair, she pulled the younger girl to her feet before spinning her around and easily slipped her arms around Damia into a headlock.

"N-No!" Davenport cried, trying to climb to his feet but fell back to the ground, the voltage high enough to cripple him for several minutes. He reached out a shaking hand towards Damia, who was frantically pulling at Natalia's arm around her throat.

The bionic could tell by Natalia's confidence through the position of her arms and stance that Natalia was extremely good at what she did: killing.

_I-I can't remember__-__ I don't know how to get out__-__!_ Damia's heart pounded in her chest and she was _so scared_. She felt paralyzed; she couldn't even scream. Natalia cackled, relishing in her victim's terror. But then... a calm washed over Damia.

"_It's time to come home, Damia."_

She... had heard that voice before, when she woke up. Suddenly, she caught sight of JC standing by the door, waiting with a gentle grin.

Damia smiled sadly, tears in her eyes. She wished she had had more time. She met Donald's gaze, acceptance in her eyes. There was so much she wanted to say! Instead, she said, "I know it's not fair." She choked on a sob. "But tell them that I loved them." She not only meant her siblings, but Tasha, Leo, her parents. "You guys were my hope, too," she said with a smile, tears slipping down her face.

"Enough!" Natalia hissed, and shifted her arms to get ready for the twist. Damia continued to meet Davenport's gaze, still smiling that gentle, sweet smile that reminded him so much of her mother. He couldn't lose her! It would be like losing Lucy all over again.

"_Goodbye,"_ she whispered, dropping her hands to her sides.

"**NOOO!"** Davenport screamed, stretching out his hand but... he was too late.

In the sudden silence of the hospital, a crack echoed throughout the room, followed by a dull thud of a body falling to the floor.

* * *

><p>In just a matter of seconds, a beautiful light was extinguished, a light that could have brightened the world if it had the chance. But the world doesn't want to be brightened; it doesn't want to face the truth. So it extinguishes anything that stood a threat to its ignorance, and people suffer.<p>

Bree and Adam found Davenport sitting on the floor in Damia's room, cradling their baby sister in his arms, crying and running his fingers through her silky hair. They had gone out for coffee, but Bree dropped the drinks she was carrying in devastation. Adam had brought along a bag of donuts, but he crushed them in his hand when they balled into fists in uncontrollable anger.

Natalia had been arrested almost ten minutes before, and doctors had swarmed the shattered man as he rocked back and forth with his daughter in his arms, but they left soon after, knowing there was nothing they could do. Later, they would send someone to collect the body.

And Chase... Chase was still in a coma, unaware of the tragedy around him. But when his sister died, he shifted in his sleep, winced, as the truly remarkable bond between twins was shattered. Yet he slept on.

It's a terribly cliché thing to say, but it's the truth: the world will never be the same without Damiana Evelyn Davenport-Stone.

* * *

><p>Damia sat on her hospital bed next to JC, watching her family.<p>

Bree and Adam had joined Davenport next to her body, and all three were openly crying.

"So I'm really dead, huh?" she asked softly.

JC shifted beside her. "Yeah. You're really dead."

Damia hummed, content to just watch. After a few moments of silence, JC spoke again. "It was supposed to be your brother." She turned her head sharply and looked at the seventeen-year-old with alarm.

"What?"

"It was Chase who was supposed to die. But the plans for him aren't completed yet." He looked at Damia, who was no longer a bionic, just a normal girl that would never get to live out the rest of her life. "You, however, did what you were brought here to do. Now it's time to leave."

"But did I have to die?" she asked, turning back to watch her family crumble to pieces. "Couldn't I have just... lived?"

JC tried for a smile but it disappeared soon after. "I... I can't really explain it, but... I think it's because everything you did these past couple of days - they were the greatest things you would have ever done, and your death will have more purpose than if you had lived. Damia, like it or not, your death was for the better. Every death has a greater purpose than just bringing sorrow. It's about time you understood that."

Damia smiled at JC, meeting his eyes. "I understood that a while ago, but I think I might have forgotten it over the years." She bumped JC's shoulder playfully before they went back to watching her family. "I hate to leave them. Especially in a time like this."

JC looked at his hands and fiddled with them. "You have no choice though. But - hey! You get to be with me!" He pointed his thumbs at himself, grinning like an idiot. "Because I'm just so awesome like that."

Damia pretended to scrutinize him then grimaced. "You wish." She placed her hand on the side of his head and gave him a shove, laughing. But then she sobered as she turned back to her family. "They'll be okay, right?" She glanced at the boy next to her. "Right?"

JC sighed. "There'll be a long road to recovery, but, yeah, they'll be okay."

Damia nodded. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "Okay. I think I'm ready." She stood up off of the bed and stood on her tiptoes for a second, flapping her arms against her side nervously.

JC stood up with her. "Are you sure?"

Damia nodded again. "I'm sure. There's nothing holding me here anymore. I do have one stop to make, though."

* * *

><p>Damia stood at Chase's beside while JC hung back in the doorway. She stared down at her brother, a tightness in her chest.<p>

"You were the best twin brother I've ever had." She chuckled to herself. "Of course, you're the only twin brother I've ever had. But you were pretty great."

The smile fell from her face and she pressed her hand to his hair and smoothed it away from his forehead. "Don't stop fighting," she said, echoing her brother's words. "I'll always be here for you." She pulled her hand away and rejoined JC. "Let's go."

JC took her hand and smiled. "Alright then."

Suddenly, the doorway grew bright with light until the hall beyond couldn't be seen. Hand in hand, they walked into the light.

Damia never looked back.

* * *

><p>Do you know what it's like to lose a loved one?<p>

Do you know the excruciating pain that comes with the death of that person? The emptiness of the heart?

Almost everyone does.

Davenport stood before a grave that was covered in overgrown weeds and dead leaves. A bouquet of blood red roses was gripped softly in his right hand, as if he was afraid the roses might shatter if he squeezed too tight.

He gazed at the stone with dark eyes, his black trench coat flapping in the wind. The man didn't have to read the inscription on the tombstone to know who was buried just six feet beneath him, but he knelt down and cleared away the vines, brushing the dead leaves aside anyway. Setting the roses on top of the stone, Davenport read the words.

_Lucy Marie Sterling Davenport_

_1976-1999_

_Beloved wife and mother_

_She will be forever missed_

An old anger flared up within his heart at the memory the inscription resurfaced, and hot tears built up in his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. But then grief took over and he cried earnestly for five minutes before he managed to pull himself together.

"I'm so sorry, Luce," he croaked out past the lump in his throat. "I s-should've done more. You weren't supposed to die."

* * *

><p><em>"<em>_-__NOOOOO!__-__... Stay with m__-__...__-__ake up!__-__OU MONSTER!__-__"_

* * *

><p>Davenport squeezed his eyes shut and growled at the memory.<p>

"It was _his_ fault!" he muttered, rage boiling inside. "He _killed you!_" he then screamed, the pain of his heart clenching hurting too much; he just wanted to tear it out.

The sky seemed to grow darker as storm clouds rolled in, and a strong gust blew, sweeping leaves into the air and carrying them up, up, up.

Davenport reigned in his emotions because he didn't come to her grave just to get angry.

Glancing at the roses, he said in a softer tone, "Happy birthday, Lucy. I know these roses won't make up for everything I did, but they're all I've got to give." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "It's been two weeks, Lucy. Two weeks since Damia died. Chase still hasn't woken up yet, and I still haven't contacted Tasha." Tears began to fall down his face again as he confessed, "I don't know what to do. I'm falling apart at the seems. Nothing will ever be the same again. Secrets I've tried to hard to keep from them almost..." He gazed at Lucy's name.

"I don't want them to know, Luce. I don't want them to know about _him_, or what he did to you." He looked around the graveyard, his mood matching the bleak setting, before turning back to the stone, a small chuckle escaping his lips.

"Bree and Adam are holding up much better than me. They're constantly at Chase's side, playing games or talking to Chase."

His expression became one of quiet pride. "Bree's really changed since Damia died. She never used to want anything to do with her brothers, but now it's like she's taken it upon herself to watch over them. She even entertains Adam and his random thoughts. I see you in her more everyday. But there was one thing that she's always had that reminded me of you: her fire. She's so stubborn and headstrong, just like you used to be, Luce.

"And Adam. He's, well... he's a good kid. Somehow, even through everything, he's still so innocent. But he still looks out after his siblings, the only responsibility I think he feels." Davenport raised his hands in a not guilty manner. "I don't even know who that boy takes after. And don't you dare suggest he takes after me!" It never even occurred to Davenport that he must look stupid talking to a gave, but he kept on talking.

"Chase... he takes after _him_ more than you, and it really scares me. The older he gets, the more I see the resemblances not just physically but also mentally - the way he thinks, the way he acts. But... there's also a small part of you in him too. He may not trust everybody right off the bat, but when he does, he trusts them wholeheartedly. And he couldn't hold a grudge even if his life depended on it, just like you." Donald smiled teasingly. "You never could stay mad at anybody.

"But Damia... Gosh, Lucy. She was the spitting image of you. It hurt to look at her sometimes." Davenport closed his eyes and dropped his head. "Why'd she have to die, Luce? Why her? Wasn't losing you enough?" He choked on a sob. "I failed you. You told me to keep them safe, and I failed. Everyone of your children have almost died, and one of them actually did."

Davenport looked up at the gravestone. "I can't do this! I need your help, Lucy. I need _something._ A sign, a vision, _anything_." He held his breath in expectation, but after a few moments of silence, he deflated in disappointment.

He knew it was foolish to think that something would actually happen, and in the end he realized that something just weren't hoping for.

Man, Davenport thought. Things were so much easier when Lucy was alive. What he wouldn't give to hold her, but... she never was his to hold. He missed seeing the light in her eyes, her smile. He missed everything about her.

Standing up, he gazed down at the stone. "Thanks for listening, Lucy. I know you'll take care of Damia better than any of us ever could." He had just turned away and taken a few steps when his cellphone suddenly rang.

"Hello," he said, answering it.

_"Mr. Davenport!"_ It was Bree, and she sounded frantic. _"It's Chase!"_

Dread dropped like a stone in his stomach at the words. "What? What's wrong?!"

Bree laughed giddily. _"Not what's wrong! What's right! Mr. Davenport __-__ Chase is awake!"_

Davenport nearly dropped his phone. "I'll be right there!" He ended the call and moved to run for his car, but stopped and turned back to Lucy's grave before looking to the sky, which was now starting to clear. "Thank you," he breathed, then jogged for his car.

Moments after he drove away, when all was silent for several heartbeats, a warm breeze blew, ruffling the roses while bubbling laughter danced on the wind.

* * *

><p><em>Beep...<em>

_Beep..._

_Beep..._

He liked that sound.

_Beep..._

It was strong, constant.

_Beep..._

Unlike everything else about his life.

_Beep..._

Well, it used to be. Steady and constant, that is.

_Beep..._

Everything was normal; just two brothers and a sister doing routine things.

_Beep..._

They never had to worry about lies and cover-ups and deceptions.

_Beep..._

It was sort of perfect. Their own little paradise.

_Beep..._

But of course, they were curious about the outside world, always wanted to take their first steps out of the elevator upstairs.

_Beep..._

But with the outside world came the lies and cover-ups and deceptions. Everything they were protected from in the basement.

_Beep..._

Except, that wasn't really true, was it?

_Beep..._

They thought they were safe.

_Beep..._

Safe from the cover-ups.

_Beep..._

Safe from the deceptions.

_Beep..._

But they weren't.

_Beep..._

Everything they thought they were safe from, all the secrets, were concealed within the man they trusted the most.

_Beep..._

And only some of those secrets came to light, yet they uprooted their lives, _his_ life, in less than a year.

_Beep..._

He suffered in a way no one could possibly understand.

_Beep..._

And even as he opened his eyes, he felt a weight on his shoulders, his heart, his _soul_, that no one his age should ever have to burden.

His eyes fluttered open, but the light was too bright so he squeezed them shut before trying again.

"Hey, sleepy head," came a gentle voice to his left and that's when he realized someone was stroking his hair. The next thing he noticed was a sore throat and the nubs of a nasal cannula tickling his nose.

He turned his head slowly to the origin of the voice and saw a girl sitting next to him, a soft smile on her face. He stared at her for several seconds with a blank look before he realized she was his sister and her name was Bree.

"Hi," he whispered, trying for a small smile. His voice was raspy from lack of use and his tongue was like sandpaper. But luckily he had a caring sister (when she wanted to be) who must have seen his discomfort, moving away to grab a glass of water on the table beside the bed and gently lifting his head, placing the glass to his lips and carefully tipping it.

Cool liquid rushed down his throat and into his stomach, which felt empty, but soon it was over and Bree pulled the glass away, helping her brother to lie back down. "You had us scared, Chase," she scolded, once again playing with his hair, avoiding his piercing hazel eyes.

"Sorry," he replied, his voice still weak. When Bree glanced at his face, she saw a teasing smile and a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I would so punch you in the arm right now but you'd probably break and I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for ruining Mr. Davenport's favorite child," she joked, poking him lightly on the forehead. She smiled when her brother snorted softly in amusement with more life in him than she'd ever seen in the two weeks he'd been comatose. Sure, he was still pale and tired, but at least he wasn't looking like he was close to death.

Just then, Adam walked in, sullen faced and everything, until he saw his brother awake and grinning. "Baby Bro!" Adam exclaimed, spreading his arms wide as he approached the bed and scooped his brother into a hug, remembering to be careful even through his excitement.

Chase winced anyway, a sharp pain in his midsection from the sudden movement, but he knew Adam was trying to be gentle (for once) so he didn't mention it. "Hey, Adam," he rasped as Adam let go and helped Chase to rest back against his pillows, Bree quietly excusing herself and leaving the room, Adam taking the seat she had just vacated.

"It's about time you got done with your beauty sleeping. I was actually starting to miss your nerdy voice."

Chase rolled his eyes. "It's great to see you, too, Adam."

Adam's expression suddenly sobered, something so unusual that Chase was worried something terrible was wrong. "But, seriously, Chase, you had us all freaked. You sort of looked like a ghost."

Chase frowned, equally solemn. "Sorry. I never meant to worry you."

Adam shrugged, looking down at his hands before meeting Chase's gaze with a small smile. "Are you kidding? You're a pesky little brother; you're supposed to worry us."

Chase tried to share his brother's smile but he still felt terrible, not just physically but emotionally, too. He'd never considered the consequences of his actions; he'd just acted on instinct. But he didn't regret his sacrifice - no way.

He yawned, and it wasn't until he moved his hand to cover his mouth he discovered just how weak he was. He was just about to ask Adam how long he'd been out when Bree came back, a big smile on her face. She moved to the other side of Chase's bedside and sat down in another chair, grabbing his hand and squeezing lightly. "Hey. Do you think you'd be able to stay awake until Davenport comes? He's on his way."

Chase nodded, but he didn't know if he actually could; he had so many questions but he was too tired to ask them.

Bree noticed this and asked Adam if he could go and find Chase's doctor to let them know he was awake. Adam nodded and left, and she watched as Chase's eyes would flutter closed, then open, then closed again. The next time his eyes opened, a doctor walked in, followed by Adam.

"Hello, Chase," the man said with a grin. "How are we feeling?"

Chase gave half of a smirk, a glazed look in his eyes. "Alive."

The doctor chuckled and studied the readings of each of the machines that monitored his patient. "You're doing very well, Chase. Your bullet wound is almost done healing. Probably about another week or two and you should be able to take the bandages the bandages off. All you need to concentrate on now is gaining strength."

A red flag went up in Chase's head and he thought, _It's been that long?_ Bullet wounds usually took a while to heal. But before he could pursue the idea, the doctor moved on.

Looking through the chart he had, he said, "You sustained other injuries, including bruised ribs and minimal damage to your previously broken knee, but those are pretty much healed now. The things we were concerned with most were the blood loss from the bullet wound and the damage done to your internal organs. And also the stress on your heart was almost enough to stop it."

The doctor looked up from his clipboard and gazed at Chase, a very serious look in his eyes. "The only thing we couldn't figure out was why you slipped into a coma for two weeks. The blood loss would have been enough to put anyone in a coma, but once we got a blood transfusion going, you should have been able to wake up when the sedatives wore off. You had us very worried and puzzled. You're a lucky kid, Chase. We weren't sure if you were ever going to wake up." The doctor nodded to Bree in farewell, then to Adam as he left the room.

Chase gave his sister a half-lidded, curious glance. "Why is my throat so sore?"

"You had an enotrech- endatracheo-"

"Endotracheal." Chase supplied, blinking to stay awake.

Bree smiled and sighed in mock exasperation. "Know-it-all. Anyway, you had that tube thingy down your throat, but they took it out once your brain activity changed, letting them know you were waking up."

Chase nodded, closing his eyes, but they opened soon after when another thing came to his attention. "Two weeks?"

Bree's gaze saddened and her eyes flicked to Adam before fixing on Chase again. "Yeah."

Chase nodded again, his eyes slipping closed, and they didn't open again as he dozed off. Even as he fell asleep, he felt like he was forgetting something, but it was pushed to the back of his mind and he didn't try to think about it.

* * *

><p>Davenport burst into Chase's room almost ten minutes later to find Bree and Adam talking quietly while Chase slept, his head slightly tipped to the side, a different position than the one he had been in when Davenport had left.<p>

_So it's true,_ he thought as he approached the bed, Bree and Adam watching him. _He's really awake._

Bree smiled at the inventor before turning back to Chase and shaking his shoulder gently. "Hey," she said quietly. "Mr. Davenport's here." Chase took a sharp intake of air as he woke up, his head rolling on his pillow slightly before his eyes opened and they found the man standing at the foot of his bed.

Bree and Adam excused themselves and left Davenport and Chase alone. The teen gave a weak smile, his eyes tired and shadowed with dark rings. "Hey," he whispered, loud enough for the adult to hear.

Davenport moved around the bed and sat down in one of the chairs, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. "How're you doing?"

Chase gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Okay." Davenport opened his mouth to speak but Chase suddenly cut him off. "Where's Damia?"

Davenport's face paled, and his mouth dropped open slightly while tears began to form in his eyes. Chase instantly picked up on Davenport's reaction, his expression remaining hard even though his heart rate began to slowly increase as dread started to course through his veins. The heart monitor picked up on the rising beat, but neither of them paid attention.

"Where. Is. She?" he growled out, teeth clenched.

Davenport looked down at his shaking hands. When he looked up, a few tears had fallen and he avoided his son's eyes, choosing instead to look to the ceiling. "S-She, uh... She-" He swallowed thickly. "She's, um... S-She's d...dead. S-She died two w-weeks ago." Donald's voice was shaking, and he looked up to see a deathly white Chase, looking at him with unfocused eyes, the slight tremor in his bottom lip the only sign that he had heard what Davenport had said.

"How'd she die?" Chase murmured.

"...Natalia came into her room while we were talking, disguised as a nurse."

* * *

><p><em>Just then, a nurse came in, a surgical mask on her face. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but your doctor has decided to keep you overnight for observation," she said sweetly. <em>

_Damia felt a tinge of unease at the sound of her voice and at the sight of the mask. "Why do you have to wear that?" she asked, gesturing to the mask as she nurse came closer. _

_"I just have a small cold," the nurse answered easily. "It's a required precaution."_

* * *

><p>Davenport sniffed, a few more tears falling. "She asked for the nurse's name, and that's when Natalia showed herself."<p>

* * *

><p><em>"What's your name?" Davenport had picked up on Damia's uneasiness and had moved closer to his daughter while trying to keep a casual air.<em>

_The nurse stopped and slowly reached up towards her mask. "I'm disappointed, Damia. You're definitely not living up to my expectations." She pulled off the mask and Damia gasped. _

_"No!" she screamed, ripping out her IV and scrambling off of the bed because there, smiling with an insane look in her eye, stood Natalia. _

_"Did ya miss me?" Natalia asked, taking in Davenport's angry expression and Damia's frightened one. _

* * *

><p>"Natalia tazered me before I could do anything. I... I could have stopped her but..."<p>

A single tear fell from Chase's eye as he listened, his trembling lip becoming more obvious.

Davenport continued. "Natalia had installed nullifiers sometime during the night, so Damia's bionics didn't work. Damia... S-she... She tried to get away, but without her bionics..."

* * *

><p><em>Just then, Natalia lunged for Damia, but she managed to duck and stumble out of the way. Damia tried to do a roundhouse kick but it was unbalanced and Natalia moved in, grabbing Damia's hair in her fist and pulling her neck back.<em>

_Damia cried out and fell to her knees from the pain shooting down her back. She glared at Natalia, trying to breathe through the pain. "What're you going to do? Slit my throat?" she growled, but Natalia just laughed._

_Bending down until their noses almost touched, Natalia whispered, "I don't need to." Yanking Damia's hair, she pulled the younger girl to her feet before spinning her around and easily slipped her arms around Damia into a headlock._

* * *

><p>"Damia looked scared, like anyone would be in her situation, but then... she looked at me with this... acceptance in her eyes and she stopped fighting."<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I know it's not fair." She choked on a sob. "But tell them that I loved them." She not only meant her siblings, but Tasha, Leo, her parents back in New York. "You guys were my hope, too," she said with a smile, tears slipping down her face. <em>

* * *

><p>"Her last words weren't meant to comfort me or you or Bree or Adam. She just wanted us to know how much we meant to her." Davenport looked down at the ground, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed. He covered his eyes with his hand.<p>

* * *

><p>"Goodbye<em>," she whispered, dropping her hands to her sides.<em>

* * *

><p>"Her body was shipped back to New York. I went with it to break the news to her parents." Davenport remembered the devastated looks on the Stones' faces, clearly picturing the way they held each other as they fell to their knees in the doorway. "The funeral was a week ago."<p>

Chase felt anger spark within him, growing and growing until he was afraid his mask wasn't strong enough to hold back the tide. Not only had he failed to be there for her, he also missed her funeral. What infuriated him even more was the fact that his mask must have slipped for the briefest moment and Davenport picked up on it.

"It's not your fault, Chase. There was _nothing_ you could have done to save her. You were in a coma!"

"Maybe if I had died she'd still be alive right now."

Davenport paled at the statement. "What makes you say that?"

Chase finally met Davenport's eyes with a terrifying glare. "Why do you think Natalia came? Huh? Why? She had nothing to with Damia. It was _me_ she was obsessed with. She was angry with _me_, and the only way to _really_ get to me was through Damia. If I had died, Natalia might not have come after Damia!"

"You don't know that, Chase!" Davenport cried, Chase shaking his head and looking away, his lips pursed in refusal. "Natalia may have gone after Damia either way and I would have had to bury _two_ children and I..." his voice broke and couldn't continue on for several seconds. "I lost Damia. I won't lose you too."

While Davenport studied Chase for a reaction, the adult couldn't help but notice how _similar_ the bionic was to _him_, his arch-arch-nemesis of arch-nemeses. He'd seen that type of anger before, in _him_, but never before in Chase, and it scared Donald.

"Chase, please," he pleaded, but he didn't know what he was pleading for. Maybe it was for Chase to forgive himself, maybe it was for him to open up, or maybe it was for him to stop acting to much like _him_. But Chase continued to stare away from Davenport, instead choosing to gaze out the window that was on the opposite side of the room.

"Leave me alone," the teen finally murmured, his hands shaking in his lap even as he gripped them tightly.

Davenport blinked in surprise but nodded and stood. "We're here for you, Chase. I really hope you know that." Then he left and shut the door behind him.

Alone in the room, Chase continued to stare out the window for a long time. The tears in his eyes had dried up minutes after Davenport had left, but now the emotions raged inside him, churning his stomach and squeezing his heart.

For a long time, there was silence, but then Chase fisted his left hand in fury until his nails dug into his skin, and the glass of water beside his bed shattered into crystal shards. Chase never moved for a while after that, listening to the water as it dripped to the floor, the only sound in the room.

* * *

><p><em>Five days later...<em>

"Leo! Supper's ready!" Tasha moved around the kitchen, grabbing plates of food and placing them on the table.

Feet thundered down the stairs leading to the bedrooms on the first floor and soon Leo was at the table, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Food," he drawled out. "Thanks, Mom." They took their seats and started dishing out their dinner, trying in vain to ignore the empty seats around them.

Tasha tried to break the heavy silence by smiling and asking, "So how'd school go today?"

Leo shrugged, digging into his food. "Okay, I guess. I kind of miss all the wedgies I used to get. At least then it felt normal."

"Leo, don't talk with your mouth full. How are your studies?"

"Mom, don't ask me questions when I've got food in my mouth. And they're alright. Boring as usual." Leo opened his mouth to speak again, but at his mother's glare, he swallowed his food first and then talked. "How was work today?"

Tasha smiled. "I got to cover two top stories today. Finally somebody is appreciating my talent for reporting."

"That's great, Mom." There was a few minutes where silence reigned, and the two would occasionally sneak glances at the empty chairs only to frown and look away.

They heard a car pull up and they looked at each other in confusion. "Were you expecting someone?" Leo asked. When Tasha shook her head, Leo rolled his eyes. "It's probably another one of those nosy neighbors still trying to weasel their way into our lives just so they could get a piece of our money."

Tasha stood up and headed for the door. "You're probably right." Halfway to the door, there was a knock, to which she replied, "Be right there!" As she grasped the handle, she said loud enough for the people on the other side to hear, "Look, I know you guys must be nice people but we don't-" She paused mid-sentence, having swung the door open and revealing the people standing on the porch.

But for Leo, Tasha was blocking the view, and he noticed his mother's stiff posture. "Who is it, Mom?" he asked as he got up to join his mother. When she failed to respond, he quickened his pace slightly and joined her at the door... only for his jaw to drop open in shock.

There standing in the doorway was a very weary-looking Donald along with Adam, Bree, and Chase, but their faces immediately brightened with smiles at the sight of Tasha and Leo.

Donald looked sheepish as he gave a small wave and said weakly, "Hi."

Tasha suddenly launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around her husband with crushing force. "I've missed you so much!" she sobbed into his shoulder, but as he moved to embrace her back, she shoved away from him and punched him in the shoulder. Hard. "Don't you _ever_ do that to me again!" she snapped, anger burning in her eyes. Then she softened and embraced him again, a smile on her face. "It's so good to have you back," she whispered in his ear.

"It's good to be back," he replied in a whisper.

The kids had been watching the scene with happy faces before Leo turned his attention to the bionics. He hugged Adam, who bent down to his younger brother's height then stood up once Leo's arms encircled him, causing Leo's feet to dangle off the floor slightly.

"I missed you, bro," Leo said, his voice suspiciously thick. "You have no idea how boring video games are without you."

Adam laughed. "Missed you, too, Leo." He set Leo down and the kid moved on to Bree.

"Did anything exciting happen while I was gone?" she asked, her hands on her hips with a small smile on her face.

Leo waved a hand dismissively. "Nah. Same old drama, but the school's not the same without you guys." _Neither is life._

Bree grinned and embraced the younger teen. "Good to know." She let go and Leo finally turned to Chase.

Leo paused, his smile faltering slightly.

Chase seemed... off. He stood stiffly, like he was uncomfortable, or something. His hands were shoved into his jeans pockets and his shoulders were hunched. While he tried to meet Leo's gaze, his eyes would sometimes glance away, and his smile was now just a ghost of what it had been.

"How you doing, man?" Leo asked softly, noticing the fact that everyone else was watching the two.

Chase tried to smile, to keep up the façade, but Leo could see the mask starting to slip and the bionic frowned, blinking as he tried to force the tears away. "I'm... I'm, uh..." Chase tried to form a sentence, but the lump in his throat made it hard.

Suddenly, Leo noticed something. Something terrible. "Where's Damia?" Chase's gaze immediately fell to the floor and he seemed to shrink in on himself. Bree had tears in her eyes and wrapped her arms around her body, Adam's usually bright face was dark with an emotion Leo couldn't name, and Davenport was frowning, the hand that wasn't resting on Tasha's shoulders clenched into a fist until his knuckles were white.

Tasha understood their reactions immediately and gasped, a strangled "No!" escaping out her mouth before she covered it with her hand.

Leo either didn't hear his mother or chose to ignore her because he pushed past the bionics, trying to look out the door to see if Damia was hiding or just taking longer because she might have been hurt. When he didn't see her, he came back inside, trying to smile. "Okay, guys. This isn't funny. Where is she?"

Silence reigned until a hoarse whisper broke it. "Dead."

Leo looked to see who spoke, his eyes traveling down the line of people, starting with Mr. Davenport, but everyone was looking in the same direction: Chase. But Chase wouldn't meet anyone's gaze, hunching his shoulders together even more in discomfort.

"What?" Leo asked, his heart thundering in his chest.

Chase slowly looked up, staring at Leo with hard eyes. Louder, he said, "She's dead." Everyone froze.

For Davenport, Adam, and Bree, they were surprised because it was the first time since Davenport broke the news that Chase came close to talking about his dead twin; heck, it was the most he'd spoken at all during those five days.

But for Tasha and Leo... they were devastated. Tasha broke down crying, sobbing into Davenport's chest as he held her tight. Leo backed away, eyes wide with shock, until his legs bumped against a chair, sitting down heavily in it. Chase broke off from the family and started to head upstairs, taking the stairs one stiff step at a time.

Davenport nodded at Chase, his eyes meeting Bree's, signaling for her to go after him, since she seemed like the only one to actually break through to Chase. Bree gave a small smile to show she understood before taking off, taking the stairs two at a time until she caught up with Chase, resting her hands on the arm closest to her to help him up the stairs.

Irritation welled up inside of Chase, and he wanted to pulled away but didn't because he knew he needed help, to his shame. But once they reached the top of the stairs and had turned down the hallway, out of sight of the others, Chase shrugged out of her grip, stepping away with a snarl.

Bree's face twisted with hurt and she pleaded, "Please don't do this, Chase."

Chase had continued down the hall but stopped when she spoke. "Don't do what?" His voice was unnaturally neutral.

"Don't push me away! It's not good for both of us!"

Chase hadn't turned to face her before but now glared at his sister over his shoulder. "I'm fine. I don't need your help."

Bree visibly winced because it sure sounded like there was a hidden message, between the lines. _"I don't need you."_

But Bree was stubborn and decided enough was enough. A long time ago she promised to push her baby brother until he told her what had happened when Harrison captured him, but she never followed through. Here was her chance to fulfill that promise, though she had no intention on discussing Harrison.

"You're _not_ okay, Chase." She saw her brother look away, his face dark. "You haven't cried _once_ since Davenport told you what happened. _Not. Once._ And you have the guts to tell me you're okay? Chase, I cry my eyes out almost every night; that's normal. Did you know there's another name for crying?" Chase glanced sharply at her, gaining the attention of his super-smart bionic brain, even though the human part tried to ignore her. Bree met his gaze with stern eyes. "It's called healing." Immediately her brother looked away with a roll of his eyes, the attention she had gained now lost. "Chase! Listen to me!"

Chase finally turned to fully face her. "I am listening!" he said exasperatedly, spreading his arms wide. "What do you want from me?!"

Bree felt tears building in her eyes as she argued back. "I want you to show me that you're still _human!_ You're twin sister dies and you do _nothing!_ You were _everything_ to her! _Everything!_ Do you even feel _anything?_ Do you even care that she's dead?" Tears were falling freely now as she talked, hating herself even more for each word she spoke. She hated to do this to him, but she knew it was the only way to get him to show any emotional response, and she wasn't disappointed.

Chase grew furious, taking a few threatening steps forward, pointing a shaking finger at her. "How _dare_ you accuse me of not missing my sister. You have _no right_." He lowered his hand and jabbed his finger at nothing in particular while his eyes grew unfocused as he concentrated on something in his mind. "I wake up every morning thinking she'll be there and then I'm reminded every single time that she's not. It's like this neon sign pops up in my head while fireworks are exploding everywhere and it's like, _'Congratulations! You're sister, the only one who truly understood you, is dead! Oh, and it's because of you! How are you going to live with yourself now?' _" Chase finished, breathless, while Bree just stood there in shock as her brother rippled with anger and self-loathing.

The youngest bionic leaned his back against the wall of the hallway, sliding down it as he stared into the distance. Once he was sitting, he murmured, almost too quiet for Bree to hear, "It's my fault she's dead, Bree. It's my fault." Bree's expression melted into one of compassion as she sat down next to her brother.

Choosing her words wisely, she said, "It may have been your fault, but Damia wouldn't blame you for it. You know that. She would gladly die for you any day."

Chase turned to look at Bree, his eyes full of suffering, but no tears - not yet. "But that's the thing, right there! She didn't die for _me_. She died because of a pointless feud between me and Natalia. Now tell me - what reason does Damia have to _not_ hate me? Because, the way I see it, she basically died for nothing."

Bree smiled gently, staring at the far wall, where, coincidentally, a picture hung with the entire family, including Damia, in it. And right next to it was a framed photo of a smiling Damia and a smirking Chase, taken on one of the youngest bionic's better days following the weeks after his capture. Bree remembered that picture. The family had driven for two hours to find the perfect spot for family photos, outside of Mission Creek.

The family photo was taken underneath a large oak tree that grew next to a wooden fence that stretched on into the distance, a green field with wild flowers on the opposite side of the fence. Sunlight slanted through the leaves, emphasizing the beauty of the photograph.

In the next picture, Damia was sitting on the wooden fence, her hands gripping the top rail and her ankles crossed as she hunched forward slightly, the wind seeming to tousle her hair just right. Her smile was bright, her eyes shining with happiness. Chase leaned against the fence next to her, his elbows resting on the top board as he smirked mischievously at the camera, giving off a casual and calm air compared to Damia's energetic persona.

Bree didn't have to glance at her brother to know he was staring at the picture too. "Because Damia was _Damia_," she whispered, answering Chase's earlier question, not taking her eyes off of the picture. "She had a heart big enough for the whole world. She would never hold her death against you because it wasn't your fault. It was Natalia's alone. You never asked to be enemies, Natalia made the decision for you. Damia knew that."

Bree fell silent for a while, reflecting on memories. Even though she was only a year older than Chase, she remembered things that Chase didn't, like how he would always ask for piggy back rides around the lab as she sped him around. "Flying piggy rides" he used to call them. She smiled wistfully as his hysterical three-year-old laughter echoed in her ears.

At age four, Chase had matured a lot, thanks to his bionics, and had stopped asking for flying piggy rides, shoving the memories away because that was when Donald started to train him for missions. Bree missed that Chase, the happy-go-lucky kid that used to squeal with joy whenever Adam did something funny or whenever Bree would race him around the room.

_Where had that kid gone?_ she would wonder bitterly sometimes. She knew in a way it was Davenport's fault, drilling her younger brother to do better, to get it right because that's what was expected of him and if he failed then it might cost his sister's and brother's lives. Donald had put too much responsibility on the child's shoulders at the time, and happy-go-lucky Chase vanished.

And Harrison _definitely_ hadn't helped either, having forced Chase to see what most people tried to ignore in the world, something Damia had mentioned to her once. What was left of a carefree Chase evaporated - just like that.

"You used to have a big heart," she whispered, smiling at the memory of Chase as a toddler, chasing after his older siblings, trying to join in on their martial arts practices and ultimately winding up on his butt.

Chase snorted. "Used to."

Bree refused to get angry at him again. Calmly, she replied, "Only because you hid yours from the world. I noticed it in the warehouse when we picked you up after Harrison let you go. You used to be so full of life and energy, willing to trust anybody! But then Harrison did something and now you're just afraid that if you let people see inside that fortress you've built around your heart you'll get hurt."

Bree finally looked to her left at her brother. "But Damia changed that, didn't she? She was the first person you let inside after what Harrison did to you." She saw Chase's eyes begin to fill with tears and his stoic mask begin to slip, his chin starting to tremble and his hands nervously playing with each other while he stared straight ahead, trying so hard reign in his emotions. "But now Damia's dead, and you're hurt again and you're afraid..." She took a deep breath, noticing the single tear that rolled down the side of her brother's face. "You're afraid that if you let anyone else in that they'll get hurt or maybe die, hurting you in the process and then you'll blame yourself because maybe - _maybe_ - they'd still be alive if you hadn't let them in."

Bree felt breathless and tired after her speech, taking a moment to gather her wits about her. Darn little brothers and the stress they caused others, intentionally or not.

After a few minutes of quiet, she heard her brother whisper, "I can't do this, Bree." When Bree looked over at Chase, she saw so much pain in his hazel eyes that her heart twisted painfully in her chest and she wished with all her being that she could take the pain away.

Suddenly, it was like a dam had broken inside of her baby brother, because then the tears started to fall for the first time since Chase had almost broken down in the hospital room right after Davenport told him about Damia.

Bree pulled Chase to her, his head tucked under her chin as he shook in her grasp. "I miss her so much," he sobbed, letting out all the emotions that had been boiling inside of him for five days with no outlet.

Bree held her brother tighter, tears of her own falling, not just from sadness, but also relief that she had broken through to him. "I miss her, too, Chase. I miss her, too."

Adam found them ten minutes later, Chase sleeping soundly against Bree, who smiled at Adam's arrival. Careful not to jostle her youngest brother too much, Bree nodded her head to the other side of Chase, hoping Adam would understand. Adam nodded and sat down on Chase's other side, leaning just enough against his brother to give warmth and security.

Bree gazed down at Chase and smiled. For a minute she had caught a glimpse of the Chase she thought she had lost. For a minute she caught sight of the sweet innocence that still lingered within her brother.

Bree felt content for the first time in a long time and she leaned her head back against the wall, falling asleep with a small smile on her face as she listened to gentle snores... Adam's snores.

They may be been missing a member of the family and they may be grieving, but now nothing could break the bonds between these three siblings.

Nothing.

* * *

><p>"That should do it!"<p>

Leo's voice rang throughout the parking lot of the Dead Man's Arcade, the happenings revolving around that place feeling like lifetimes ago.

The entire Davenport family stood outside the building, watching as Leo slapped on an "Out of Business" document on the automatic doors, all the arcade games inside shut down, waiting to get scrapped for parts. Apparently, the Dead Man's Arcade had belonged to Harrison Garvy, giving the family a huge prompt to shut down the arcade not just to stop kids from entering the arcade as teenagers and leaving as zombies, but also to destroy another piece of Harrison's empire.

Donald had an arm wrapped around Tasha as they watched Leo and Chase high five each other in success, smiles on their faces as relief flooded their systems knowing that no other kid would be affected by Harrison's blasted brainwashing arcade games.

Adam, who had been standing with Bree on the sidelines, joined his brothers and wrapped them both up in a giant bear hug, lifting the two smaller boys off their feet.

Bree still hung back, comfortable to just watch her family. It had been three months since they came back home, and one and a half since they'd started school again.

It was awkward for the three bionics to just jump back into normal life after all that had happened, but Bree knew it was harder for Chase than anyone else. He continued to have nightmares, horrible ones that he sometimes woke up screaming from. And the ache from losing Damia was still there; it never would completely go away.

The Davenports had taken a trip to New York to visit with the Stones, a trip that was hard on everybody. Bree recalled the grief-stricken parents and knew just by how much they missed their daughter and how highly they spoke of Damia that she had been raised by loving parents.

Chase didn't have anymore breakdowns after that one in the hallway when they first came home, but Bree knew that he _did_ cry when he was alone. How? She just did. And it's made a difference.

Even now, as she watched Chase squirm in Adam's grip, demanding to be put down, she could tell that her brother was making a quick recovery. He started to smile more, participate with the family more, even open up more. He still wasn't a hundred percent, but she knew he never would be. He never would be the Chase that joked with her outside the restaurant, oh, so long ago, before this mess with Harrison even started, but that was okay. She still saw remnants of the Chase she missed whenever he smiled or laughed, but it wasn't the same. And though her brother may have grown up faster than she would have liked, he would _always_ be her little brother, no matter what.

Her attention was snapped back to earth when Adam said something funny and her family laughed.

She smiled softly because they laughed - genuinely laughed - for the first time in a _long_ time. That's when she knew.

Things were going to be okay.

* * *

><p><strong>So, I feel like I've lost my touch at writing, and I would definitely love feedback from you guys. Did I make you cry? Almost make you cry? Laugh? Feel anything at all?<strong>

**Okay, so I literally had, like, ten songs that I would have loved to do for this chapter, but none of them... fit perfectly, you know? Well, there was one - the lyrics described everything that I had written, or implied - but the tone of the music was too... Energetic for this chapter. I wanted something softer, sadder. So I went with these three.**

**Chapter soundtrack #1: The Host of Seraphim by Dead Can Dance. If you want to experience the total effect, I suggest listening to this song and start reading the part where Damia discovers her bionics don't work, somewhere around _"...But it wouldn't work."_ This song carries all the way through until _"It's a terribly cliché thing to say, but it's the truth: the world will never be the same without Damiana Evelyn Davenport-Stone."_ The song should have about two minutes left once you're done reading, but that's okay.**

**Chapter soundtrack #2: Surrender To Hope by Immediate (or Immediate Music, it doesn't matter). This song is split between Damia leaving with JC and the last part of the chapter, specifically when it shifts to Bree's point of view about the future.**

**Chapter soundtrack #3: Lucy by Skillet. This is Donald's song when he visits Lucy's grave.**

**So, I hope those soundtracks help. Please let me know what you think, and I hope my instructions about soundtrack #1 weren't too confusing.**

**Hopefully I'll have chapter sixteen done soon. It'll definitely not be as long as this one, so it should get done sooner.**

**Again, thanks to my faithful readers who have stuck with me even as the author went from weekly updates to who-knows-when-she'll-update updates.**

**Have a great day/night.**


	17. Chapter 16

**Hey, guys! Look at this! Only a day late and thankfully not a week or two. How's it feel? I know it feels great to me.**

**Anyway, I was determined to finish this chapter before I started my summer job next week, which I will not be able to contact you guys at all since there will be no internet there. I'll be working at this summer camp for a week and then I'll be back, so... yeah.**

**But anyway, last official chapter of the story then the epilogue! How exciting and depressing is that?**

**Oh, and someone makes a guest appearance! Can you guess who? Don't worry; it's someone nice.**

**So, I feel like I rushed this chapter and I'm having doubts. Please let me know if you think it was underdeveloped or if, like, it could have been better... more emotionally written (did you have to grab a box of tissues? Hehe.)**

**Anyway, here's chapter sixteen. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as<p>

difficult as spending our live running from it. Embracing our

vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving

up on love and belonging and joy - the experiences that make

us most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore

the darkness will we discover the infinite power of light.

-Brené Brown

* * *

><p><em>One year later...<em>

Chase sat on his bed, his back resting against the headboard and his left knee pulled up slightly. His expression was solemn and his eyes seemed glazed over as he stared out the window where warm sunshine poured through.

Memories of laughter and bright smiles flashed through his mind and he closed his eyes, tilting his head backwards to rest against the headboard.

He missed Damia so much, even if he only had five months to get to know her, one and a half of them spent in a drug-induced coma.

His sister had been funny and understanding, his light in the darkness. But he knew she wasn't without faults. The afternoon of the day Harrison captured them Damia had told him that her life hadn't always been so easy; she hadn't always been so upbeat. In fact, there was a time when she had needed a light in her darkness, too.

Why had Davenport separated her fifteen years ago? What was he hiding?

Chase sighed, focusing on his hands in his lap.

Davenport had been careful to not give anything away, proving Chase's point that the inventor _did_ have something to hide.

Chase wished with an ache in his heart that they could go back in time before any of this had even started, even if it meant not meeting Damia.

At least she'd still be alive.

But going back in time wouldn't change the future, not unless the traveler remembered what would happen and tried to change it, but Chase didn't want to remember. Therefore, nothing would change.

A sudden pain in his damaged knee caused Chase to wince and pull it towards him, rubbing the throbbing area distractedly, reliving dark memories.

Before the fight that resulted in Natalia breaking his knee, Chase had blasted Bill and Natalia away with his molecular kinesis. He had never felt such anger before... or power. What scared him the most was that he _enjoyed_ it. He had felt satisfaction when Bill had crashed into a wall and Natalia had been sent flying into a table of equipment. And the time when he somehow fried the nullifiers Harrison had installed to cancel out his bionics... Harrison said it shouldn't have been possible... yet it happened anyway. Harrison had told him he was powerful, that he was different. Chase didn't want to be powerful - or different. His siblings were already jealous of him. If they found out what he could do, what he was capable of doing, they'd be scared. And the last thing he wanted was his family afraid of him. He was afraid of himself, as it was.

There was a knock on his door and Chase snapped back to reality, his eyes flicking upwards to see Adam in the doorway, a weird look on his face. Chase thought it resembled worry, but he couldn't figure out why.

"Is it hurting again?" Adam asked, venturing further into the room, his eyes never leaving Chase's even when his brother looked away, out the window.

"It never really healed, Adam," the youngest bionic murmured. "It'll never go away." They both knew that Chase wasn't just talking about his knee.

There were several moment of silence during which Chase was preoccupied with his thoughts, but he didn't fail to notice how awkward Adam was.

Chase knew his siblings tried, _really_ tried, to be there for him, to try to understand him, but they didn't. Damia was the only one who had; she knew what it was like to have demons haunt your every breathing moment.

Adam cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Well, Mr. D sent me up here to tell you that it was time to go." Adam held out a hand to help Chase off the bed, which the younger teen grasped gratefully.

His older brother was more gentle around him now than he was a year ago. Chase didn't know if he should rejoice or be sad. Adam's knew behavior was another constant reminder of the life they lost the moment the mess with Harrison started.

Chase and Adam made their way downstairs, their steps heavy and loud as they descended.

Bree was sitting on the couch, texting rapidly. Leo was in the kitchen, scrounging for food while Tasha was no where to be found. And lastly, Davenport was waiting by the door for Chase, his keys swinging around his finger. When he saw Chase arrive, he grasped his keys, smiling at his son.

"You ready?" he asked, reaching for the door handle.

Chase nodded, leaving through the door Davenport held open for him.

"Thanks, Adam," Davenport said, referring to the bionic and how he retrieved his brother per the inventor's request. Then the adult left and shut the door.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, Davenport and Chase sat in the inventor's car in front of a pretty house.<p>

"You sure you want to do this?" Davenport asked, hunching down to look across Chase and out the window at the house. "It's been a whole year. She may not remember you."

Chase had been quiet the entire ride, staring out the window. "She'll remember," Chase finally said, opening the car door and getting out before Davenport could reply. Shutting the door with a quiet slam, Chase walked up to the door, taking a deep breath.

Before he even got a chance to knock, the door swung open and there was a squeal of joy before a little girl flew into him, causing him to stumble back a few steps.

"It's you!" Livia cried, her tiny arms wrapped around him tightly. "I knew you wouldn't forget me, teddy bear."

Chase chuckled and slid down to her height so he could hug her back. "I promised you I'd see you again, didn't I?'

Livia held tighter. "I was afraid you weren't going to keep your promise."

Chase honestly didn't know how to reply, but he was saved from trying when a woman appeared in the doorway, a smile on her face, but he could tell she was wary.

"Hi," the woman said, sticking out her hand. "I'm Livia's mom, Elizabeth."

Chase let go of Livia to stand up, but the young girl still clung to his leg as she watched the meeting between the teen and her mother. Grasping Elizabeth's hand, he shook it, flashing a smile. "I'm Chase. It's nice to meet you."

"You, too..." Elizabeth studied him. "So you're the boy we keep hearing about? Livia would not stop talking about you the first few weeks after the hospital..." Elizabeth faltered, shuddering at the memory. "Anyway! Please - come in." Elizabeth stepped to the side and Livia gasped Chase's hand pulling him in. "Does your father want to come in, too?" Elizabeth asked, noticing Davenport watching.

Chase shook his head. "Nah, he said he'd wait out in the car. He doesn't mind."

"Well, I'd have to say we were surprised to get your call. Honestly, we thought Livia made you up, rambling on about a handsome superhero with a tragic past." Chase blushed and ducked his head, sneaking a glance at Livia who was smiling unashamedly.

"It's true!" Livia argued.

"Minus the superhero part," Chase interrupted, earning a glare and a pout from Livia's way.

Elizabeth laughed. "Alright, then. Would you like anything to eat or drink?"

"No! I want to show Chase my room!" Livia interjected excitedly pulling at Chase's shirt.

"Livia!" her mom scolded. "That was very rude of you. I was asking our guest. Say you're sorry."

Livia looked up at Chase, quietly saying sorry.

"It's okay," Chase said. "And I'm good, thank you."

Livia's mom nodded reluctantly. "Okay. You guys have fun." As she watched the two head upstairs to her daughter's room, she knew she should be at least a little worried of leaving a stranger with her six-year-old daughter, but something about Chase made her feel like she could trust him. And she did.

* * *

><p>"Okay," Livia said, shutting her door then turning to stare at Chase, a stern look in her eye. She grabbed Chase's arms and positioned him until he stood in front of her bed. Backing up, she crossed her arms. "Sit."<p>

Chase raised an eye brow, confusion written all over his face. "Excuse m-"

"Sit!" Livia barked, and the now-sixteen-year-old sat down without hesitation, surprised at the tone of the little girl's voice. Livia nodded in approval. "Now, why are you so sad?"

"What makes you think I'm sad?" Chase asked, trying to play it cool but it was hard - Livia was _scary_.

"I can see it in your eyes," the six-year-old said casually. "What's wrong?"

Chase sighed, defeated. His shoulders slumped and he wouldn't meet Livia's eyes. "I... I've just got this feeling... but it grows stronger every day and I don't know what to do about it."

Livia climbed up onto the bed and sat next to him, watching him with wide, worried eyes. "What kind of feeling?"

Chase finally met her gaze, sadness so painfully clear in his expression. "It's unhappiness. I mean - I don't get why I'm not happy! I've got my family, a home! Everything's back to normal... But I'm not happy." Chase leaned forward and resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes staring at the floor.

Livia studied him before she spoke quietly, "You already know what to do, don't you? You already have a plan."

Chase gave a small smile before it faded. "Yes, but it won't make my family happy. And I want them to be happy."

"But for them to be happy means that you can't be."

Chase nodded, closing his eyes and running a hand over his face in weariness. "I don't know what to do. There's so many questions and it's killing me but no one will answer them, _can't_ answer them... I just don't know..." He took a deep breath. "My family's happiness is important to me, but can't I be selfish just this once so I can do something that will make _me_ happy?"

Livia placed a gentle hand on his arm. "But wouldn't your family want _you_ to be happy too? Don't you think they'd give anything to see _you_ happy, even if it means their own happiness? Family will give up things for each other. Trust me, I know. My parents will wait until I go to bed to talk about things, but sometimes I sneak out and listen at the top of the stairs. I know that they gave up money and time for me when I was sick and had to go to the hospital for help. I know that they had to pay lots of bills that made them unhappy, but they did it for me, so _I_ could be happy."

Chase looked at Livia in amazement. "Are you sure you're six?"

Livia rolled her eyes, a smile forming on her face but then she grew serious again. "I think it's time for you to start doing what you want to do. Your family might be mad at you for it, but they won't realize how much you've done for them until you stop and do what you want to do. Then they'll understand."

Chase looked away. "But I just... I just don't want them to try to hold on to me. I want to make sure that they'll move on."

Livia smiled. "'Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.' Mommy said that to me all the time in the hospital when they thought I was going to die. Maybe it can help you, too."

Chase smiled and ruffled Livia's hair. "You're a smart kid, you know that? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Livia giggled, swatting at his hand. "I know. I'm awesome."

Chase chuckled before standing. Looking around, he finally spotted a pen and a paper. "Come here. I'm gonna give you something."

Livia approached Chase curiously while he scribbled something on the paper.

* * *

><p>Five minutes later, Chase was walking down the steps leading to Livia's house after saying good-bye to Livia and her mother. He felt so much lighter than he had ever felt the entire year after coming home. As he got into Davenport's car, he reflected on the fact that he still carried a burden, one he hoped to escape soon.<p>

"How's was the visit?" Davenport asked as he pulled away, his focus on the road. Unseen by the inventor, Chase smiled as he looked out the window. "It was great."

* * *

><p>Davenport and Chase arrived back at home and walked through the door just as Adam and Leo took a bucket of ice water and dumped in on Bree, who was <em>still<em> on the couch texting. Chase and Davenport scrunched up their faces and flinched as Bree let out a shocked scream, standing up in a flash and looking at her soak clothes as she held out her arms from her sides, water dripping from them. But soon the two started laughing along with Leo and Adam, who were hysterical.

Bree glared at Chase and Davenport, but her brother said, "Hey, we just got here! Don't look at us!"

Bree growled and stomped her foot in spoiled frustration before clomping up the stairs to get a change of clothes.

Chase watched her leave, a smirk still on his face before he opened the door and looked at Adam and Leo in all seriousness. "You guys really should get going."

Adam and Leo looked at each other before turning back to Chase. "Why?" Leo asked.

Chase rolled his eyes. "Dude! She's a hormonal teenaged girl with _super speed!_"

Adam and Leo shared another glance with each other before saying in unison, "Good point." They shoved and pushed each other to be the first one out the door, Chase and Davenport standing far out of the way.

When both of his brothers had finally gotten through the door, Chase still held the door open, looking to Davenport with a knowing grin, not even flinching or glancing away when a flash of colors raced past him and out the door. Chase broke eye contact with Donald to stare off into the distance as he mouthed quietly, "Three... Two... One." He had barely finished speaking when there were screams of horror coming from his brothers, and with a chuckle he closed the door.

"Never a dull moment," Chase said to Davenport, moving past his father to head for the kitchen.

"You got that right," Davenport said, eyes still locked on the door but then he shook his head at the antics of his children.

As Chase rummaged through the refrigerator, Donald came up and sat on one of the stools at the counter. "So. Chase." By then, Chase had pulled some food out of the refrigerator and was preparing it. When Davenport spoke, Chase spared him a glance and continued to work, waiting for Davenport to continue. "Are doing okay?"

Chase shrugged. "Yeah. Why?"

"You've been quiet lately." Davenport studied his son, who refused to look at the inventor. "Anything you want to talk about?" he urged.

Chase finally looked up again but it didn't last long. "No," he said, almost too quickly, trying to act casual but Davenport didn't buy it.

Changing tactics, Davenport leaned on the counter. "So, you're sixteen teen now." Chase gave a small smile, putting away the supplies he used for his sandwich. "Gosh - when did you guys get so big?" Not giving Chase a chance to answer - the teen didn't know how to respond to that anyway - Davenport moved on. "I was thinking. You're old enough now. How about we go tomorrow after school to sign you up for driver's ed?"

Chase had taken a bite of his sandwich, but choked slightly on the food at Davenport's words. "You serious?" he asked, looking up at Davenport who had an amused smile on his face.

"Of course I am. Once you're done with driver's ed, you can get your permit. How's that sound?"

Chase smiled. "Sounds great."

Davenport felt pleased and got up to leave. After he had left for the lab, clapping Chase's shoulder gently as passed, Chase leaned against the counter, his hands gripping the edge. Chase's head drooped and his shoulders hunched up as he closed his eyes against the tears, but one escaped and fell onto the counter.

_Sounds great._

* * *

><p>Later than night - a <em>lot<em> later that night (think so late that it was early) - Chase was still up.

He had pretended to be asleep until he knew for sure that Adam and Bree were actually asleep before slipping out of his capsule and getting dressed.

That had been three hours ago.

Now he sat at Leo's desk in the lab, a pen in his hand, hovering over a blank sheet of paper. He watched his brother and sister as they slept, committing their faces to memory.

Thoughts raced through his mind; doubts, fears, worries, memories. And yet, with all those thoughts, he couldn't find the right words to write down.

He hated to leave his family, especially after all they'd been through the past two years. They didn't deserve to be hurt again, but... He didn't belong there. Heck, he didn't belong anywhere in the _world_. He was a bionic freak with a tragic back-story that no one would be able to understand. Not even his family, who had experienced the same losses, but not in the same way.

Chase sighed, turning away from his siblings to rest his elbows on the desk and run his fingers through his hair.

Was he doing the right thing by leaving them? Or was he just being selfish, causing his family more pain just so he could be without it?

Chase recalled his discussion with Livia earlier. Sometimes it's okay to stop looking out for others to take care of yourself.

And just like that - Chase knew what to write.

* * *

><p>A half an hour later and Chase was wandering through the house upstairs, strolling down memory lane.<p>

He remembered the times he would play video games with Adam and Leo on the couch.

He chuckled at the memory of the time he and Adam had once hidden a rotten fish under Bree's bed in her room upstairs, tucked within the frame in a nearly impossible place to find. Bree had almost gone crazy looking for the source of the smell but didn't find it until two weeks later, when the smell had started to drift into the other rooms. The look on her face was priceless... and very scary.

He stopped outside the door to Leo's room, but didn't open it. He remembered all the plans they devised together to escape the bullies at their school, literally printing out the floor plan to the building and marking the exits and the best places to hide until the coast was clear. And he remembered the time he and Leo had built that robot to enter in the competition and how they teased Davenport for days after the inventor's defeat at the hands of Kevin.

He remembered scavenging in Adam's room with his older brother, looking for his homework. It was almost like dumpster diving, only without the dumpster.

When he got to the room Damia had stayed in, Chase paused in the doorway. He could still see himself sitting with his twin sister on her bed, doing homework while sunshine poured through the windows and birds chirped and sounds of the busy city below the mansion reached them. Chase smiled at the memory. They had been a good team, though their special bond from being twins helped with that.

Chase's smile fell and he looked away from her room. He should have protected her better. He should have been there for her. Sure, she was the older sibling by a few minutes, but he had felt the need to protect her as if she were the younger sibling. He would have died for her. Actually, he had. Three times on the operating table. But yet here he was, alive and well while her body rotted in the ground. The image itself was enough to churn his stomach, bile rising dangerously, but he swallowed it down.

Chase glanced back into her room. He knew Damia would have died for him too. She had fallen naturally into the roll of the older sister, even though she wasn't _that_ much older. Despite what everyone kept telling him, he _knew_ Damia didn't die for him. She died _because of_ him. Guilt weighed on his shoulders, heavier than anything he'd ever felt before.

Chase shook his head and moved on to his parents' room. The door was cracked open, and Chase gently pushed it open even further until his could peek in. Davenport and Tasha were sleeping peacefully together, the inventor's arms wrapped around his wife.

The bionic carefully stepped into the room, tiptoeing quietly until he reached the nightstand on Davenport's side. Pulling out an envelope that now held his letter, he stared at it, once again tuning into the doubts that plagued him.

_Do I really want to do this? What's so wrong about this life?_

_What's wrong?_ a snappy voice inside his head countered. _What's wrong is the fact that you're not happy and your presence is just making your family awkward. They don't know what to do with you. They'll get over you eventually. You'll see._

Chase listened to the voice, feeling the truth in the words. He glanced to the side at Davenport's face.

His father had once said to him that he could lose Chase, too. Not after Damia died. Hadn't the man suffered enough already? He barely managed to hold onto his family, yet one slipped his grasp.

Chase winced, knowing that he would be the second.

"I'm so sorry," the bionic whispered, pain evident in his voice even then.

He set the letter down, leaning it against the small lamp on the table. He left quickly then, still careful to remain silent. He rushed down the stairs, knowing that if he didn't do it now, he never would.

Picking up the backpack he had packed earlier, Chase slung a strap over his shoulder, heading for the door. It would take forty-five minutes to reach the nearest bus stop and the next bus came through at 2:30, but it was 2:00 now so he'd have to run at least te-

"What are you doing?!"

Chase instantly froze, almost to the door. His sister's outraged voice made his heart clench, but he didn't dare turn around. If he did, he would see his sister's betrayed expression and that would make leaving so much harder.

"Chase?" Bree voice was cautious and he could hear her slowly approaching. "What are you doing?"

"Bree, I..." Chase couldn't find the words to say, but he decided to turn around, ignoring every instinct that told him not to.

Bree was in her pajamas still, her hair messed up, but any tiredness she had felt before was now erased from her mind at the sight of her brother, fully dressed and about to leave.

"You've been planning this, haven't you?" she asked, her eyes widening with realization. Her brother never did anything without forethought, which was probably why he had been so quiet lately. "You're leaving us?"

Chase gazed at her sadly, but he couldn't help but feel a flash of pride at her quick deduction skills. "Yes." His sister's face paled.

"But why? What's _wrong?_" Bree took steps forward, but stopped when Chase held up his hand to keep her away. Her heart felt like it was breaking again and tears welled up in her eyes. "What did we do wrong?"

Chase gave Bree a sad smile. "You didn't do anything wrong, Bree! It's just... I don't know. I... It's me. I don't fit in anymore, Bree. And you know it."

Bree shook her head vigorously. "Not true! Chase, you belong here! With us! Why would you think otherwise?"

"Because my heart tells me so!" Chase argued back, then glanced at the stairs when he realized his voice was too loud. After a few moments of silence to listen, he turned back to his sister, continuing in a quiet voice. "People always say to follow your heart, and I want to! I _need_ to. Bree, I don't know who I am anymore!"

Bree looked confused. "You're Chase Davenport, sixteen-years-old, super smart, and super annoying," she teased, trying to smile. "You're my little brother."

Chase rolled his eyes. "Bree, I'm talking about who I _really_ am. I'm not _me_ anymore. I haven't been since Harrison kidnapped me. I feel like I'm in between the old me and... someone different. I tried to be like I was before, I really did, but I know I can't, and I need to find out who I really am, who I'm supposed to be." During his speech, Bree had grown still, watching him with a broken expression as tears rolled down her face. Chase's tone softened as he took her in. "But I can't do it here."

Bree inhaled sharply and she turned away. "I don't want you to go."

Chase looked at the floor and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I know. I don't want to go either but... I have to."

Bree sniffed, staring out the large windows that overlooked the city below. "I know."

Chase joined her, staring out the window as well. "I wouldn't do this unless I knew you guys were going to be okay."

Bree wanted to scoff, to say _Oh, really?_ But she didn't. Because she knew he was right.

"Bree, you've been a great sister. I'm thankful for all that you've done." At those words, Bree broke into sobs, turning and wrapping her arms around Chase. Bree felt Chase arms close around her and she couldn't help but hold on tighter.

Her baby brother grew up too fast. She wished she could have protected him from the world, but she couldn't. What kind of big sister was she?

"When will you be back?" she whispered, still refusing to let go.

"I don't know," he replied. "But I will be back."

Bree finally pulled away. "Do you know where you're going to go?"

Chase shrugged. "I plan on going east. But where I'll end up... I'm not sure." He glanced at his watch. "I have to go."

He hitched the backpack up on his shoulder again and headed for the door, Bree watching him go. When he reached the door and had swung it open, Bree's voice stopped him. "Be careful, Chase."

Chase looked back, his face glowing from the streetlights outside. His eyes shone with contentment and a cocky smirk bent his lips. Bree memorized that moment, because that was the first time she saw her brother _truly happy_, standing in the doorway with the light outlining his form like some kind of hero.

"Don't worry," Chase assured, his smirk turning into a smile. "This is a battle I know I'll win."

Then he was gone, and Bree was left standing in the living room alone, arms wrapped around herself in as much comfort as she could manage.

* * *

><p><em>To my family:<em>

_You've always been there for me. I can't thank you enough._

_I just want you to know that you guys didn't do anything to push me away. I just... I had to leave._

_Ever since I woke up from my coma, I felt this hole inside of me that could never be filled. It wasn't just Damia's death... it was also everything else. _

_I've been changed, and I can only hope it's for the better._

_There's this feeling inside of me that I've tried to ignore for the past year, but it grows stronger every year until it was screaming at me, pulling at me._

_I've got questions, questions that can't be answered here. I... I need time. I hope you guys can understand._

_I don't want you to look for me. I don't want to be found._

_You've got to trust me. If you've never trusted me before, do it now. I know what I'm doing, even if I'm not sure about where I'm going or for how long._

_Try to live your lives. Don't waste them worrying for me because... because I won't be worrying about you. I know it sounds harsh, but I won't. I know you guys will be okay. And you have to believe that I'll be okay, too._

_It's a big, scary world out there, but... maybe it's not so bad. Only one way to find out for sure, right? I'm ready to explore the darkness for the light I know is there._

_Mr. Davenport, I understand that you wanted to protect us from the world, but you've got to learn that you can't protect us forever. Someone wise once told me, "Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go." Don't be afraid for me. I can handle myself. I learned from the best, remember?_

_Tasha, you're the mother I never had. I truly hope that your career will take off. You deserve it. _

_Adam, Bree, Leo... watch out for each other, alright? I'm not there to save your sorry butts every time you get into trouble, so just... be careful._

_I'm going to miss you guys, and there will be times when I'll want to come home, but I won't and I know in the end it will be worth it._

_I'll be back when this war inside of myself is over._

_There's no need to say good-bye._

_ Chase_

* * *

><p><strong>Well? How was it? Cheesy? Terrible? Unsatisfying? Please, please let me know what you think! :)<strong>

**Chapter soundtrack: The Call by Regina Spektor.**

**I highly recommend listening to that song. It's so beautiful and it gets my feels going. I think once I might have cried listening to that song...**

**So, all that's left is the epilogue and then this story is finished. Wow. It's hard to believe. Even just looking back at the story, I feel like not only have the characters changed, but so have I. **

**And I have you guys to thank for it. You supported me and encouraged me and I'm very thankful.**

**And, I heard a rumor that the epilogue might be posted tonight or tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled for it!**

****Oh! Can anyone guess the movie that inspired this chapter? I'll give you _one_ hint: It was inspired by the ending of the last movie in a trilogy and features the beautiful song "Into the West." NO CHEATING! You can't look it up if you don't know it. So, let me know if you know the scene I'm talking about and if it is as moving to you as it is to me. :) And I guess if - _if_ - you absolutely, positively need another hint... I _guess_ you could PM me and I'll give you another one. But only if you're desperate! ;)****


	18. Epilogue

**So. Here it is.**

**The epilogue.**

**It's very short, but I'm happy the way it turned out. **

* * *

><p>How could things have gone so wrong?<p>

Everything was going perfectly!

The man yelled and threw a chair, breaking something but he didn't care.

He was _so close._

He would have won, too, if it weren't for Donald bringing in that girl Damiana and Harrison betraying him, ordering for the Davenports to be killed.

The man snarled. Harrison. It was Harrison's fault that one of the bionic brats had been killed when the plan was to keep. Them. Alive.

His plans for revenge were _ruined!_ This time a table was overturned. Panting, the man grabbed at his hair and paced, hatred burning like a forest fire in his heart. But then he paused.

Of course.

Plan B.

He had a failsafe in place in case something like that happened. It would take time, having to come up with his own resources since he could no longer depend on Harrison, but he had learned patience over the years, waiting in the shadows, planning out every little detail.

He would still have his revenge.

Donald Davenport would pay, the bionic children would _finally_ be his.

And nothing would stop him.

Nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, the curtain closes.<strong>

**How was that for an epilogue?**

**Chapter soundtrack: ShutEmDown by Celldweller.**

****Chapter soundtrack #2: Rise Up by Beyoncé**. Think of this song as the one that would play while the credits rolled. Take this time to reflect on the story and the characters and how they grew, savor the last few moments of this story.**

**Alright. Sequel. I'm pretty sure there will be a sequel, but it might be shorter than this story, more to the point. I don't have any of it written yet, but I do have plot points and a basic idea of how it's going to go down.**

**I _also_ have a prequel planned out, but it won't be posted until after the sequel, or else it wouldn't make sense and it would give away things to the sequel.**

**There's also two oneshots I plan to write, one about Damia's life. I'm hoping to give more depth to her character since I didn't explore her too much in this story, which is why I think people didn't accept her too well. The other oneshot is going back to the month Harrison kidnapped Chase, giving you details of what happening. Hopefully I'll make it as tragic and devastating as possible to match up with how I've been portraying that certain period of time.**

**I have shout outs for all the people that have reviewed this story, so if you want to read, go ahead, but you don't have to.**

**First of all, I'd like to thank my two best friends who aren't on this website but have been reading my story and encouraging me with their compliments. *Blushes* Also, I'd like to thank my mom, who, although she hasn't read this story, has reminded me more than once of my deadline to post chapters. She once even scolded me for keeping you guys waiting for three weeks, haha. So you owe it to my mom for some of my updates lol.**

**thewriterswayoflife - I loved reading your reviews and I'm really sad you stopped, but I'm sure you had a good reason. :) I hope you still got to read my story though.**

**DancingKitKat - you, my friend, have reviewed every single chapter of my story (standing ovation for you), and I am really grateful you never gave up on it. **

**HowtoRiseBigTime, AllAmericanSlup, daphrose, 88keys, MoonlitshadowsoftheHumanSoul, dorienvera, KrisKat, xxWasabiWarriorAlertxx, The BritishWannaBe - thanks so much for your insights with your reviews and for sticking with me all this time.**

**Swiftie22, shinxshinx1595, LabAusllyEverything - you guys reviewed a few times but stopped at some point along the way, so I hope I didn't lose you because my writing sucked, but I want you to know that any thoughts you had about my story and posted them in a review, I am thankful.**

**FOREVERLABRATSLOVER, 4EVERA POLARBEAR LOVER, poofpickle, shazlol, Maddi3lnator, HerpTheDerp, dreamer4evera, JustThatExRper, Lord Helen, NoOneGetsIt, gigi180000, Abby, alexandra, WatchfulJewel, beverlie4055, LBozzie, soccermonkey413, klausgirl4055, Shari350, horsecrazierthanyou, Horse lover, valiantgirl3, Dirtkid123 - you guys didn't review much, but I enjoyed reading the reviews that you did post.**

**And thanks to all my guest reviewers! Your reviews are as appreciated as any others.**

**Everyone who has reviewed has made me smile with your responses and your insight and your encouragement. Thanks so much for getting me to 140+ reviews - that's more than I ever thought I'd get. I've made some great friends along the way, too. :)**

**And I can't forget to mention my silent readers. You guys... I have never forgotten about you. I look at the views my story gets, so many more views than the people that review. I can't thank you enough for giving my story at least a try. **

**Okay, I'm done now haha.**

**Until we meet again, dear readers.**


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